No Longer Weak
by Riddler-of-Words
Summary: That girl she used to be shattered when he left. In its place is the promise to her village to kill him, the emotional scarring of a failed mission, and the determination to rely on no one but herself. All of that will be tested when Sasuke comes back, demanding her help.
1. Unknown Intentions

Well, I decided to a different kind of story, without vampires and powers and all that jazz. I'm also going to try and not make this in first person, but if it starts to sound a little funky, then please tell me and I'll go back and see if I can fix it.

**No Longer Weak**

_Unknown Intentions_

The air was warm and humid as Sakura exited her apartment building and headed down the street. The laughter of little kids and parents calling for their kids rang in her ears as she passed the Academy, bringing a smile to her face.

But the smile was bittersweet, the only outward sign that the memories still haunted her and the betrayal still stung. At the age of 22 Sakura still felt the sting in her chest whenever she thought about how Sasuke had left the village and betrayed their team.

_Stop it, don't go there again. _Sakura scolded herself. He had left, that was that. And she would never forgive him, even if Naruto had never hated him in the first place. When he had asked her years ago to help him retrieve Sasuke, she had said yes with determination and courage. Then things had gone downhill fast. She had gotten injured, and had lost hope, among other things, one being her love for Sasuke.

Even after he had left he still hurt people, most importantly Naruto and herself, and for that she now hated him with a passion far greater than her old love.

The tower cast a shadow over Sakura and offered her a break from the burning sun, breaking her from her thoughts. Shizune greeted her as she walked in and led her up to Tsunade's office, not that Sakura didn't already know where it was.

After Sasuke left, Sakura had worked her ass off with the help of Tsunade's skills. Without Tsunade, Sakura wouldn't be where she was today. She wouldn't be the renown medic nin that she was now, with people coming from all over to get her medical help. She wouldn't be respected for her skills, both on missions and in the hospital.

"Finally, I thought you might have gotten lost." Sakura ignored her wise ass comment and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Tsunade's desk.

"You sent for me?" When Sakura had been summoned to Tsunade's office this morning, she knew it had to be something important. Not only did Tsunade prefer to sleep in, most of the time at her desk, but she rarely summoned Sakura. Instead she usually just sent a file to her apartment.

"Straight to the point like always," Tsunade said with a frown on her face while pushing her chair back slightly from the desk and grabbing her bottle. "I need you to do a scouting mission."

Sakura nodded and smiled slightly. "What time do I leave?"

"We leave at noon," a voice answered from behind her. Sakura's shoulders stiffened, the only indication of her growing anger before she was out of her seat with her hands firmly on Tsunade's desk.

"We? Tsunade, it's a simple scouting mission, I don't need a babysitter!" Sakura shouted with rage. She should have known the moment she was summoned. Tsunade knew she would go on a rampage through the village if she had been told by a sheet of paper. And she had every right to because Tsunade was sending Kakashi with her to babysit her.

"Calm down Sakura," Tsunade ordered as she got up from her seat. The sunlight spilled through the window and lit her hair up like a golden halo. Her eyes held worry as she looked at Sakura. "We received a report that Team Hebi is near our border and that they have been there who knows how long. We believe that they are waiting for something, or someone."

"And you think that they're waiting for me? Sasuke left almost ten years ago without a backward glance, I doubt he could care less if I fell off the Hokage Tower this very moment and killed myself," Sakura retorted as she slowly calmed down. This was ridiculous, completely and insanely ridiculous. If he wanted her, he would have tried already. She had been out on a mission two weeks ago, alone might she add, and she had come back alive with only a few scratches.

"We don't know what they're waiting for and I refuse to let anyone go on a mission alone until we know what they want." Sakura sat down in the chair again, her head tilting slightly as Kakashi sat in the other chair.

"I can handle myself Tsunade, I'm—"

"I know you can, but I will not risk letting my best medic nin and pupil go out on her own just so she can save her pride," Tsunade scolded, her voice firm and commanding that Sakura just accept the conditions.

Sakura sat there for a moment, her head bowed. When she looked up, her face caught the rays of the sunlight and reflected back the sorrow. "I'm sorry Tsunade, I'll go on the mission with Kakashi without any complaint."

Tsunade smiled at her pupil. This was why she had chosen to train Sakura. She was determined, but knew when to stop the foolishness. And she definitely knew right from wrong, like fighting with Tsunade over something that was unnecessary.

"It's a simple scouting mission Sakura, just think of it as a vacation, just the two of us," Kakashi told her, his eye crinkling in amusement as her face screwed up in horror. The comment immediately broke the tension in the room.

"You're crazy Kakashi if you think I'd ever go on a vacation with you willingly." Kakashi chuckled, his feelings clearly not hurt.

"Come on Sakura, you're hurting my feelings. Naruto wouldn't hesitate to go on a vacation with me," he replied while he lifted his crossed feet and rested them on Tsunade's desk. She gave him a deadly glare, but he ignored it.

"Naruto has also gotten hit in the head way too many times, of course he'd go with you," Sakura retorted with a grin. She enjoyed their bicker, even if most of the time it involved a perverted comment from Kakashi.

"Well that's not my fault is it?" Sakura broke out in laughter. She should have felt guilty for his accusing tone, but she knew it was all just a joke.

"It's his fault for not keeping up during our sparring," Sakura admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. Her and Naruto sparred everyday, or every other day when she had a double shift at the hospital. It would be an understatement to say that she had improved. More often than not, Naruto found himself with a kunai at his throat, a katana inches from his face, or a bruise the size of her fist on his head.

They were evenly matched, when Naruto wasn't using his strength and body against her. She understood now why he ate so much ramen. It was so he could weigh a ton so when he landed on her, she couldn't get him off her. And it worked too.

Tsunade pulled out something from a drawer and spread it out on the desk. "Okay back to business. This is a map of our border, and this is where Team Hebi was reported to be located. I want you to make a wide, and by wide I mean very wide, arc around that area. We don't have enough ANBU to send out to capture them, and I doubt we would be very successful without a large number of casualties."

"Are you sure they are located there?" Sakura questioned while Kakashi got out of his chair and examined the map. She remained in her chair; she knew the border by heart considering she frequently crossed it into other village's lands.

"We have had multiple reports of them in that area, so I'm very certain they are there. You will be scouting an area that might hold Orochimaru's base, but I beg you not to do anything rash. If you do find anything, come back immediately and report it so that I can send out a larger team to search out and destroy whatever you find." Tsunade looked straight at Sakura, but she ignored the warning.

A couple years ago she had been sent on a scouting mission because there were reports that a group of rogue ninjas were pretending to be Sound and causing mayhem. Sakura had been sent out to see if the rogue ninjas' location was accurate because they had been reported in multiple places.

When she got there, she had waited until nightfall then attacked them, clearly defying orders and endangering herself. It wasn't like she couldn't take them on, but one of them had gotten lucky and landed a hit. She had barely made it back, a wound to her shoulder causing her to lose so much blood that she was in the hospital for a week.

After a long lecture and scolding, Sakura had realized that that was all it took, one opening and she could be dead. Ever since then, whenever she was sent on scouting missions she was reminded to only scout, not attack.

"I'll let you guys leave so you can pack," Tsunade told them while she folded up the map and handed it to Kakashi. "Be careful and I expect to see you both in a week."

After they left Tsunade sat heavily in her chair with a sigh. She hoped Sakura didn't go too far and seek out Sasuke, but then again Sakura wanted to get away from Sasuke, not closer.

"Should we make camp before we cross the border and wait until the next morning, or should we cross the border and then set camp?" Sakura asked Kakashi as they exited the Hokage Tower. It was almost eleven in the morning, leaving them with a little over an hour to pack and meet up at the entrance.

"Before we cross the border would be better and safer. Sasuke wouldn't dare cross the border and come that close to Konoha, and the next day we'll have all day to loop around them and get back on track." Kakashi placed the map in one of his pockets and waved as he turned off towards his home.

Sakura sighed and made her way home quickly. She had to pack then head down to the sparring ground to tell Naruto that they wouldn't be able to spar until she got back.

Her apartment was clean and tidy. It wasn't too big, and even though she could afford a bigger place with her pay, she preferred a small place. If her apartment was any bigger, it'd echo with the silence, and remind her of the family she didn't have, and loneliness she did have.

The packing only took a couple minutes, and putting on her ANBU clothes only took a second. Then Sakura was back outside and heading towards the sparring grounds. When she got closer she could faintly hear the grunts and clashes of metal, and the vibrations from explosions.

She didn't hesitate when walking onto the grounds. If anything got within a foot of her she'd know, and deflect it immediately.

"Sakura-chan!" Sakura heard his voice and sensed him racing towards her, his previous battle completely forgotten about. She laughed as she was suddenly scooped up in a bear hug, her feet leaving the ground. "Are you here to spar with us?"

Sakura shook her head and was suddenly out of his grip and holding a kunai inches from his back. She turned her head in the direction the kunai had come from and threw it back in that direction. The kunai disappeared into the trees with a whizzing sound.

"That was supposed to be payback for walking away from our fight, Ugly," Sai said as he came out of the trees, rotating the kunai between his fingers. "But I don't blame Dickless, he was losing."

"I was not, you're the one that almost got blown to little pieces!" Naruto retorted, his hands waving around in the air as he reenacted the explosion and Sai's 'supposed' girly scream when his pants caught on fire from it.

"It was a kage bunshin, not that you would know what that is." Sai pocketed the kunai and pulled out a scroll and paintbrush.

"I know what a kage bunshin is, I brought it back in style," Naruto puffed out his chest with pride. Sakura shook her head and poked his chest, deflating it instantly. "Ow Sakura-chan, that hurt!"

"Aw I'm sorry, you can have Hinata kiss it all better when you get home, along with all the other injuries you have." Sakura smiled at the thought of Hinata and Naruto together.

Naruto glared at her sarcasm, but it quickly turned to confusion as he saw her clothing and pack. "Are you going on a mission?"

"Yeah, I came by to tell you that you'll have a break from getting your butt handed to you." Sai chuckled in the background, earning a kunai an inch from his foot from Naruto.

"Is it a solo mission?" Naruto cringed when he saw her shoulders stiffen.

"No, Kakashi is going with me," Sakura sighed, forcing herself to remain calm. It wasn't that she didn't like Kakashi, it's just she was hurt by the fact that Tsunade still thought she couldn't go on a solo mission when the conditions were too risky. She could handle herself, she hadn't been trained by the best for nothing. And it didn't help that Tsunade was afraid Sasuke would do something to her. She could defend herself, and she didn't need a babysitter to make sure she didn't get hurt. "It's a scouting mission too."

"If it's just a scouting mission then why is Kakashi going with you?" Sakura gave a shaky exhale. If she told him, it could go either way. He could either get mad, or run straight to Tsunade and demand she do something to bring Sasuke back.

But he did neither when she told him why. He stayed eerily calm, and Sakura knew his face was most likely a void of emotion. Sakura was suddenly swept up in a hug so tight that she had trouble breathing.

"Be careful," he said softly in her ear, squeezing her even tighter for a moment then letting her go. "And if you run into him, kick his ass."

Sakura laughed. "I'll do even more damage than that, and with pleasure. Promise me you won't do anything crazy while I'm gone, okay Naruto?"

"I promise Sakura-chan. And promise me you won't do anything rash on the mission, it's just scouting, okay?" Sakura scowled at the ground. They'd never let go of that mission would they?

"I promise. Just scouting, that's all," Sakura said before she was cut off by another quick hug from Naruto.

"Is it free hug day?" Kakashi's voice came from behind Sakura. "If it is, I don't want any."

Naruto let go Sakura and quickly advanced towards Kakashi. "But it's _free_ hug day Kakashi, you don't get a choice in whether you get one or not, and I say you're getting one."

Sakura laughed as Naruto ran after Kakashi with his arms wide open. Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared besides Sakura, his pack on his shoulder.

"Ready?" Sakura nodded and said goodbye to Naruto and Sai.

Naruto watched her go, something in his gut telling him something was wrong. But then his stomach rumbled and he groaned in hunger.

"Come on Sai let's get some ramen, I'll buy, you pay!"

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Two stories in two days, that's a new record! Hopefully this story will be easier to update.

So you all should know the drill by now you: click, opinionate, submit=happy Riddler-of-Words :) or click, flame, submit=happy Riddler-of-Words! Is it a keeper or does it need some work?

Sorry I had to say that. Happy Late Thanksgiving and now off to see New Moon again. What did everyone think of it? I personally am at a crossroad. I am Team Jacob in the movie and Team Edward in the book, so I guess I am Team Switz. Which team are you, or actually who is your favorite character?


	2. Retrieval Accomplished

I'm so glad everyone gave positive reviews on this story because I'm really excited to be writing it and I have all these wonderful ideas for it.

That's all I'll say so that everyone can get on to reading to chapter! Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

**No Longer Weak**

_Retrieval Accomplished_

Sakura followed Kakashi as they jumped from tree to tree. Normally they used the ground, but the trees were faster and helped them cover more distance, which was exactly what they needed.

They made sure they followed Tsunade's orders and made a large half circle around the area where Team Hebi was residing. Right before they reached the border they stopped and made camp. Although Kakashi believed Sasuke wouldn't cross the border, Sakura knew that he would if he had to.

She knew that he wasn't afraid to get close to Konoha, he wasn't afraid of anything anymore. Not even his brother who was still lurking out there somewhere.

The trees whistled in the wind as Sakura waited for Kakashi to get back with some firewood. Her thoughts wandered even though her senses remained alert. What could Sasuke possibly want from Konoha? Sakura found it ironic that he should want something from the very place he had left years ago, the place he had called useless in making himself stronger. And now he was back to retrieve something for his own benefit.

"The selfish bastard," Sakura murmured as she rolled out her sleeping bag. She could feel the air becoming cooler as the sun fell below the horizon, and goosebumps rising as she shivered.

Sakura sensed Kakashi coming back before he was anywhere close to the campsite. She rolled out his sleeping bag on the opposite side of the pit she had made and waited for him to get closer.

They didn't speak as they set up the fire and ate their dinner. Sakura knew it was because of Team Hebi being so close. It felt as if they spoke a word, Team Hebi might hear them and come straight for them, even though Sakura knew that was impossible. First off, they were a couple miles away, and secondly, they had no reason to pick a fight with Kakashi or Sakura.

"Kakashi, what do you suppose they want?" Sakura questioned quietly as she threw her trash in the fire.

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is, they want it badly," Kakashi responded, telling Sakura what she already knew. "Sasuke isn't very good with being patient."

"Wasn't," Sakura corrected, her face turning hard. "Who knows what kind of person he is now."

"True." Kakashi didn't speak anymore, ending the conversation that was obviously a sore spot for both of them.

"If you had to kill him, would you?" Sakura's head was now tilted downward, and Kakashi wondered for a moment if she had even spoken.

"I…don't know," his voice was calm, not a single emotion coming through. But Sakura knew that if he had to, he would. No matter how hard it was to admit it, Sasuke wasn't a part of their Team Seven anymore. He was a traitor now, and he deserved the punishment that was meant for traitors. "Would you?"

Sakura nodded her head in a silent answer. The only person she could think of who wouldn't kill him would be Naruto. Her heart clenched at the thought. What if Naruto hesitated with killing Sasuke and Sasuke took that opportunity to kill him? What if Sasuke took advantage of Naruto's weakness for him?

With that thought in mind, Sakura vowed that she would never let that happen, even if she had to kill Sasuke herself.

Kakashi shuffled around for a minute before he settled into his sleeping bag and turned his back away from the fire. She guessed it was her turn to watch first. When two in the morning came around she'd wake Kakashi and get her sleep.

For some reason the night felt longer than usual. Sakura didn't know if it was because she was anxious to get away from Team Hebi or if it was the threat of them being so close. She just hoped that when they journeyed back towards Konoha Team Hebi would be gone, and nothing from Konoha would be in danger.

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Kakashi shook Sakura awake as the sun's light lit up the horizon. The air was still chilly and Sakura shivered as she got out of her cocoon of warmth. They quickly ate breakfast, exchanging small talk as they packed up.

A knot formed in Sakura's stomach as they started to move towards the border. Usually when she went on a mission with Kakashi the mood was light, with a few jokes here and there, but this time it was like they were both on edge.

Trees whirled by as Sakura once again followed Kakashi through the forest. She could hear the wind as it whistled lightly against her ears, calming her nerves as they got closer to the border. At the speed they were going, they would be past the border and deep into Grass Country by nightfall.

It felt like a weight was lifted once they crossed the border and the familiar land of the Grass Country appeared. Sakura sighed in relief, inhaling the strong smell of grass. They were past the border and nothing had stopped them, which meant they had no reason to worry about Team Hebi and the rest of their mission would go smoothly.

_Unless we find something_. Sakura thought dryly. She doubted they would find anything considering Sound was so far away from Grass, and Orochimaru had preferred bases to be as close to Sound as possible.

They slowed down around noon and decided that it was a good time to rest and eat. Neither of them were tired, but it was only reasonable that they eat now before they scout incase they did find something and had to race back to Konoha quickly.

A whizzing sound caught Sakura's attention just as she was about to bite into her food. She jumped out of the way as the kunai embedded itself into the ground, her food still in her hand. It dropped to the ground as she pulled out one of her kunai and deflected another one aimed at her shoulder, her other hand reaching up quickly to pull down her mask.

Sakura's kunai flew through the air as it embedded itself in her enemy's flesh. She heard a grunt and the faint smell of blood drifted towards her.

Kakashi was at her side the next second, his fingers pulling up his headband and revealing his sharingan eye. Sakura heard him draw some kunai and prepare to attack.

Her katana was unsheathed and drawn before the enemy could move an inch, and then she was in the trees and chasing the rogue ninja. Kakashi was right behind her, his kunai whizzing by her and aimed for the ninja's back.

He dodged them, his own kunai come back towards Sakura. She raised her katana and blocked the kunai, the sound of metal against metal ringing in her ears. She grabbed one of them and sent back at him, hitting his square in the back. He stumbled for a moment before he fell from the trees.

Kakashi and Sakura jumped to the ground, one on either side of the guy. He jerked for a moment before going still, indicating he was dead.

"Nice throw," Kakashi said as he crouched down and examined the man. "Shattered his spine from the looks of it."

"That's what I was aiming for," Sakura responded as she put her katana back into its sheath. "Does he have a forehead protector?"

Kakashi rolled the dead man over onto his back. His forehead was bare and there was no protector in sight. His face was young, and his gear was all black. Kakashi unzipped his vest and looked through the inside pockets.

"Found something," he said as he pulled out a forehead protector. "Sound."

"He's from Sound? What would be doing in Grass Country, and alone?" Sakura questioned as she took the forehead protector from him and looked at it. She could see her reflection in the shiny metal. "This is new too, why would they send a new recruit so far from Sound?"

"They wouldn't. Maybe the base we're going to scout isn't inactive after all," Kakashi replied as he stood up.

Sakura sensed the kunai before Kakashi could even move. She punched it out of its path, sending it flying into a tree.

"Nice punch," Suigetsu said with grin on his face as he leaned against a tree. His pointed teeth glinted in the sunlight that streamed through the trees, giving him a shark look.

Sakura lifted her head at his voice as she put on her black gloves, her hand then resting on the hilt of her katana. She knew what he was capable of, and the smooth surface of the hilt gave her courage.

A second chakra to her right indicated that Suigetsu wasn't alone. The person jumped from a tree, the heavy thud of their feet meeting the ground telling Sakura that it was Juugo. Sakura didn't have to guess that the person who suddenly appeared to her right was Karin.

Where was Sasuke? And what was Team Hebi doing away from the border and in Grass Country? Sakura let them filter through her mind for a split second before she scanned the area for Sasuke.

His chakra faintly hummed behind her and Kakashi. So they were trying to cage them. Sakura's mind worked double time, trying to figure out how to indicate to Kakashi that Sasuke was behind them.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked to all three, not sure which one would answer. "Why aren't you _behind_ us at the Konoha border?"

She felt Kakashi shift besides her, and knew that he understood what she meant. After all the missions they had been on together, she knew he trusted her with her ability to track enemies with her perfect chakra control.

It had taken her a while to learn how to send out a small stream of chakra to sense her surroundings, and it had taken her even longer to expand that sense of surroundings. She didn't have to send her chakra that far to sense Sasuke which told her he wasn't too far away.

"We were never at the Konoha border—" Suigetsu was cut off suddenly. Kakashi was gone in a puff of smoke, leaving Sakura alone to deal with the three members of Team Hebi.

"You moron, she was using chakra to track Sasuke-kun!" Karin yelled as she raced towards Sakura with a kunai in each hand. Sakura sensed her coming and quickly slammed a fist infused with chakra into the ground.

The ground shook as it broke apart into pieces. Juugo and Suigetsu disappeared into the trees, their chakra fading as they tried to outrace the cracking earth. Karin screeched as she was hit by a chunk of earth and then slammed into a tree. She groaned as she got up slowly, her lip bleeding.

Looking up, she screeched again as shuriken flew straight for her. She didn't have time to react as some imbedded into the tree above her head and others flew past the tree.

"You call yourself a ninja?" Karin snorted as she glared at Sakura. "You can't even hit me with a handful of shuriken!"

Sakura stood there on the only piece of ground still intact within a hundred and fifty yard radius. Her head was tilted away from Karin as she pinpointed where the other two members of Team Hebi were.

Karin heard a whizzing sound and was suddenly drawn back against the tree. She felt small strings of wire winding around and around her body, holding her firmly to the tree. Her eyes narrowed at Sakura as she sensed the chakra pumping through the wire, making too strong for her to break through.

The shuriken whirled towards Sakura and she caught them easily before sticking them back into her weapon's pouched. She didn't look at Karin as she ran across the broken up ground, chakra in her feet keeping her from falling.

The ground evened out, Sakura's chakra punch not going that far. She sent out her chakra again, trying to locate Kakashi and Sasuke, but they were too far for her to sense.

Sakura barely ducked as Suigetsu's sword buried itself in a tree to her left. Suigetsu grunted as he pulled his sword out of the tree, showing that the sword had almost gone all the way through the tree.

Sakura prepared herself as he started to form hand seals. Mist started to rise from the ground, Suigetsu's jutsu creating a mist thick enough to make everything white.

The mist made Sakura's skin damp, causing pink strands of hair to stick to her neck and shoulders. It didn't bother her as she drew her katana, her black gloves keeping the hilt firmly in her hand. The thing that bothered her was his water source. Where had he gotten enough water to create such a thick mist, especially when there was no pond or lake nearby? It was only trees and forest.

She slowed her breathing, listening for any sounds. Suigetsu's chakra signature told her that he was to her right and Sakura knew that the mist obscured his vision, just as much as it was supposed to obscure hers. But Tsunade hadn't only trained her to use her vision, she'd trained her to use her other senses too.

And then he was charging, as silent as a ghost. She ducked as the sword swung for her head, and rolled to the side as it came around again and tried to get her in the ribs.

She was on her feet and behind a tree, ducking as the sword hit the tree with a force that scared Sakura. One wrong move and her head could be lobbed off, along with other body parts.

The sword slammed into another tree as Sakura moved from tree to tree, using them as shields. If he kept swinging and having to pull his sword out of trees, his energy would run low very quickly.

Sakura held her breath as Suigetsu stopped. She could hear him shifting around, trying to find her.

"You enjoy hiding don't you?" She could hear him panting in between words as she quietly made her way around him in a wide circle, ignoring his comment. The mist didn't loosen up which confused Sakura again as to where Suigetsu was getting the water from.

The sound of a cork coming undone reached Sakura's ears. Then the unmistakable sound of water hitting the ground and shuffling around.

It suddenly clicked, causing Sakura to sharply inhale in surprise. She felt Suigetsu moving towards her rapidly, faster than before, and she only had a second to block his attack.

Sakura dropped to one knee as his strength increased. She grunted as she infused her arms with chakra, giving her the strength to get back to both feet and push him backwards. He slammed into a tree, leaving a large dent in it.

The absent noise of cracking almost made her swear out loud. But then it gave her hope. Now she knew where his bottles of water were, and how to destroy them.

Suigetsu was back on his feet and charging again, his energy never ending along with his determination.

Sakura didn't move as he swung at her, but instead reached for the hand holding the sword. The sword sliced into her arm, creating a deep gash, before she could crush his fingers. He screamed in pain and dropped his sword, giving Sakura the chance she needed to kick him square in the chest. She heard a crack, and then a few more as Suigetsu fell to the ground clutching his hand.

Sakura sent out chakra to find out where Kakashi was, but had no such luck. An explosion suddenly went off in the distance, drawing Sakura's attention in that direction.

A cracking noise suddenly caught her attention, confusing her as to what it was. She turned around and gasped as a kunai nicked her in the face.

"You aren't going anywhere," Suigetsu said, his voice echoing as if he were repeating it. She froze, her mind registering that he had set his fingers so he could make clones of himself. Then she realized that she must have not crushed all the bottles.

Another explosion in the distance caught her attention, and made her worry for Kakashi. She couldn't tell how long she'd been fighting Suigetsu, but she knew that it had been a while, if not longer.

The clones came at her, leaving the real Suigetsu behind to control them. She ducked as one swung for her head, and blocked another's sword that was going for her shoulder. The third clone came out of nowhere, his sword missing her, but its fist getting her in the side of the face.

The mask cracked and started to crumble. Sakura threw it off, not caring where it went, and continued to block the clones' blows and attacks.

Suigetsu swore as Sakura dissolved in a storm of cherry blossoms. His eyes scanned the trees, his good hand flicking a cherry blossom out of his hair.

A kunai flew out of nowhere, embedding itself into the ground an inch from Suigetsu's foot.

"Are you sure you're a ninja?" Suigetsu smirked. "You can't even hit the broad side of a tree."

A clicking suddenly caught his attention, drawing his eyes downward.

"Oh _fuck_."

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"Everyone seems to think I can't throw straight," Sakura grumbled as she wiped the blood off her face, an explosion resounding behind her. "When I clearly can."

Pain throbbed through her arm, reminding her of her wound. She quickly pumped chakra into it to make the bleeding stop as she jumped from tree branch to tree branch. There wasn't enough time to completely heal it, so this would have to do.

There was a string of explosions that echoed through the forest before it went silent. Sakura pushed herself faster, her fear rising.

The trees ended, forcing Sakura to stop. What was supposed to be a section of the forest was now a clearing with no trees and the ground broken up in some spots.

Sakura sent her chakra out, trying to locate where Kakashi and Sasuke were. What she found forced her out of the tree and into the forest on the other side of the clearing. She could only hear her heart beating as she pushed herself as fast as she could go, faster than she had ever gone before.

Juugo didn't have time to react as Sakura appeared in front of him. Her katana was raised in the blind of an eye, the tip touching Juugo's throat and forcing him to drop his kunai.

"Move and I'll chop your head off without a second thought," Sakura ground out, her knuckles white from gripping her katana so hard. She knew what Juugo was capable of, and she refused to give him the chance to use his curse.

"Do that and I'll chop Kakashi's head off," a voice said from behind Sakura, but she didn't move her katana.

Sakura knew she was cornered. Kakashi was badly injured and Sakura was outnumbered two to one, with her arm wound starting to bleed again and her chakra running low.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked as she slowly lowered her katana. She knew it was risky, but she refused to give Sasuke the opportunity to kill Kakashi because of her.

"Go get Suigetsu and Karin," Sasuke said as he dropped Kakashi to the ground. Juugo nodded before disappearing back the way Sakura had come.

Sakura's eyebrows scrunched up in anger as she ran over to Kakashi and accessed the damage. He wasn't too badly injured, just knocked unconscious. She pumped chakra into him, healing his sprained ankle and broken arm as best as she could with so little chakra.

The ground tilted slight as she went to stand, her hand reaching out to steady herself. When she was upright again she turned towards Sasuke, and found a katana at her throat.

"What do you want?" Sakura repeated as Sasuke took her katana from her hand. He chucked it to the side where it buried itself into a tree.

"I'm here to bring you to Orochimaru's base," he said as he lowered his katana and grabbed her chin. Sakura closed her eyes as he tilted her head to the side to inspect the cut on her cheek.

"Huh, I thought you were here to see if I was in good health," Sakura sarcastically replied with a smirk.

"Why would I care?" Sasuke took a step back, glaring at Sakura as she continued to smirk. He'd heard about her skills, both in the hospital and on missions, but he hadn't heard about her new personality.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he had expected when he was given the order to retrieve Sakura. He knew that she wasn't like the old fangirl she used to be, but he hadn't expected the hate she radiated towards him now.

"Because it's what's preventing you from taking me." Suddenly shuriken were flying at him and he shifted as they flew past him. His red eyes narrowed in on Sakura who was nowhere to be found, along with her katana and Kakashi.

He heard a humming noise and barely managed to move before the same shuriken flew past him again. A slight throb on his arm drew his eyes to his sleeve where a small line of red started to soak through.

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Sakura flew through the trees with Kakashi on her back. She knew it was impossible to get away from Sasuke in her state, but she had to make sure Kakashi was hidden and safe. She stopped and set him on a thick branch, setting a jutsu around him so that no one would know he was there or see him.

Her senses screamed that Sasuke was coming in her direction, and fast. She set out in a different direction, jumping from branch to branch as fast as she could to draw Sasuke away from Kakashi.

Pain shot up her back as a kunai embedded itself in her shoulder blade, but she didn't stop. She pulled the kunai out with a grunt, and let it drop from her fingers.

Sasuke's chakra got even closer, but she kept running as she dropped to the ground, her chest heaving. Then he was in front of her, his katana poised and ready and his eyes a dangerous blood red.

Sakura didn't stop, but instead sped up. He swung at her as she ducked and then flipped over his head. As she flipped, her chakra infused hand grabbed the skin between his neck and shoulder and threw him over her shoulder.

The tree groaned in protest as Sasuke slammed into it. Splinters flew everywhere and Sakura moved out of the way to avoid a particularly large piece.

It went silent except for Sakura's panting. She tried to heal her shoulder wound, but found that if she used anymore chakra, she's go unconscious.

The pain brought her to her knees, blood rolling down her back and her arm. Her mind started to shut down, along with her body.

_Get up! _She yelled at herself, but her body refused to listen. She heard Sasuke come closer and waited for him to attack, to take her head off with a clean swipe.

Instead he pulled her to her feet, his grip bruising. Another painful throb made her stumble, Sasuke's grip the only thing preventing her from falling to her knees again. Her legs felt as though they were made of jelly.

As she faded into unconsciousness her world tilted, two strong arms the only thing anchoring her down.

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That took awhile to write for some reason. I don't know if it is because I am so tired from spending six hours making a gingerbread house for this charity auction, or if it's just that I struggled with writing the action scenes because I had to think them out then convert them to words.

Hopefully this will suit everyone for now until I can get more written.

Loving the reviews so far though, so thank you everyone!


	3. Deceiving Past

Another day to live life and write chapters out and eat ice cream…maybe I'll just pause my day at the ice cream part.

Okay so I'm back again with chapter three and I'm still going strong…I hope! I will keep this short and just ask people to tell me if the third person is working out for the story, or if I'm failing at it. It is definitely harder because in first person I can show the emotions better, but I like challenges :)!

**No Longer Weak**

_Deception  
_

The world spun in and out of focus for Sakura as the trees towered over her. She distantly recognized the sound of running water as she felt a coolness run down her back.

For a moment she felt utterly contempt, allowing her world to spin around her as she laid there, the colors blurry and smeared.

Then the pain started up, jerking her out of her thoughts. She tried to get away from whatever was rubbing against her shoulder wound, but an arm held her down against the ground.

The coolness only brought a short relief before the stabbing needles of pain erupted through her shoulder and down her arm, making her grit her teeth. Her fingers reached out clumsily, grabbing onto the grass under her.

Warm fingers lifted her slightly, wrapping a bandage over her shoulder and under her arm. Sakura tried to lift her head, but it hung loosely, strands of pink hair sticking to her face and others tickling the sides of her face.

Then Sakura was sitting up, her head swimming from lying down for so long. She slowly stood up, her legs feeling like water, but she refused to look weak.

Sasuke was on his feet in a split second, his hand holding her uninjured arm in case she decided to run. Sakura almost snorted at the thought. Like she was going anywhere when she could barely stand.

"You're half naked," his voice vibrated against her skin, making her realize just how close he was. It made her feel uncomfortable along with the thought of him actually caring about her well being.

"I don't care," she replied, her knees buckling when she went to take a step. Her world was spinning, trying to drag her under again. Sakura tried to fight it, but her head lulled forward and her eyes closed as she fell into the blackness.

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"Why are you carrying her Sasuke-kun?" Karin asked, the jealousy barely concealed in her voice. That stupid pinkazoid probably got injured on purpose just so Sasuke-kun would carry her. Why didn't Sasuke-kun ever carry her like that? Whenever she was injured, Suigetsu or Juugo carried her, but never Sasuke-kun. It just wasn't fair, not when she was his teammate while the pinkazoid was nothing!

"Because she obviously can't walk on her own," Suigetsu said, ignoring the glare Karin gave him.

"I didn't ask you," she sneered as she pushed her glasses back up her nose.

Suigetsu shrugged, giving a mocking smile. "I answered the question, though, didn't I?"

"I didn't want you to answer it." Suigetsu's smile widened and his eyes held a mocking glint, his shark teeth giving Karin the shivers.

"Enough," Sasuke said, cutting off Suigetsu before he could annoy Karin more, along with the rest of the group.

"Sorry Sasuke-kun," Karin said with a blush, her eyes flickering to Suigetsu in time to see the hidden smirk on his face.

"You did that on purpose fish face!" Karin yelled, her anger making her forget Sasuke's command.

"Don't call me that," Suigetsu glared at her, his smile gone. "Do I look like a fish to you, I don't think so."

"You're right, you look more like an ugly toad," Karin mumbled as she sensed the glare Sasuke was giving her. Why wasn't he glaring at Suigetsu? He was the one that had started it. He was the one that always started it, and she always got in trouble for it. Why didn't he take her side for once?

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Sakura's eyes fluttered as she shifted around. Her shoulder throbbed, and she tried to lift her hand to heal it, only to find her hands tied with rope, chakra infused in it to make it stronger.

Warm skin was pressed up against her cheek, making her realize she was on someone's back. The woodsy, musky smell immediately made her wonder if it was Sasuke. For a second she didn't think it was, but then she realized that Juugo was too unstable, and Suigetsu would probably smell like fish. And Karin definitely wouldn't carry her, she'd probably drop her off a cliff if she did.

Sakura wanted to lift her head, but it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Instead she laid there, her eyes closed and the wind caressing her face. Sasuke's cursed mark lay inches from her face, the skin radiating more heat than the rest of his body.

It surprised her that Sasuke had given her his shirt. She didn't think he cared about her modesty, especially around Juugo and Suigetsu.

Her left arm was in the sleeve, while her right wasn't. She knew it was because her shoulder couldn't be moved, unless they wanted to reopen the wound, which they didn't. Her tied hands rested against Sasuke's back, her chest pinning them there.

Sasuke shifted slightly, hoisting her up higher on his back. It was then that she realized his slow speed. They weren't racing through the trees, trying to get back towards base as fast as they could.

From the pace they were going, Sakura could tell that they weren't worried at all about being caught. But why? Wouldn't they be worried that they would run into a Konoha team while they traveled along the border?

"Why are we moving so slowly?" Sakura muttered to herself, not intending for anyone to hear but herself.

"Eager to get there pinkazoid?" Karin asked from Sakura's left, her glasses glinting from the sunlight streaming through the trees.

"No, but I didn't think you guys were so slow," Sakura said, her head lifting slightly from Sasuke's shoulder. Her head still felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, making her tip back as she lost her balance.

Sasuke grunted as Sakura grabbed onto his hair, steadying herself and forcing his head backwards to lessen the force.

"Let go Sakura," he said as he stopped, he head still tilted back. His anger practically radiated off of him as she slowly pulled herself back up so that she was leaning against his back again, her shoulder pounding with pain and heat. His hair was released slowly, Sakura yanking slightly before completely letting go. Maybe he would somehow go bald from this, served him right too.

"I would say sorry," Sakura said with a smirk. "But I'm not."

Suddenly his hands were gone from under Sakura's legs. The ground was hard as her ass slammed into it, making her wince as the pain first vibrated through her tailbone before traveling up to the injuries on her upper body.

"I would say sorry," Sasuke mimicked her, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I'm not."

Sakura could hear Suigetsu snickering in the background as he said something along the lines of 'he's never done that before' to Juugo and Karin. A grunt a second later told Sakura that Karin had hit him, her mumblings making Sakura want to snicker even though she was in pain.

"You're an ass," Sakura said quietly as she tried to get up. Her shoulder protested as she put weight on it, her tied hands pushing off the ground and giving her enough momentum to stand upright. She had barely pulled his hair! And here he was dropping her on the ground. Whoever had said he was ruthless was wrong, he was just plain immature.

"And you're walking," he responded as he started walking again at a faster pace. "Juugo, Suigetsu, bring up the rear."

"I'm not going to try and escape," Sakura said with sarcasm. Like that was going to happen anytime soon, especially when she didn't know where she was, and had an injury that prevented her from going that far.

"Yet," Suigetsu muttered with a large grin as he walked past her and started walking next to Juugo.

Sakura ignored him, sending out chakra in small streams to try and figure out where she was. As far as she could tell, they were traveling along the border, and weren't in Grass Country anymore. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the landscape was oddly familiar, but they went back to normal as she sensed Karin glaring at her.

Her mind wandered, her guard still up in case they decided to kill her in the middle of the forest.

How was Kakashi? Sakura hoped that he was safe and that hopefully he was on his way back to Konoha. She wished that she was with him as he made his way back to Konoha, if he was still alive. She wished she knew what had happened, how Sasuke had beaten him when he was as skilled as Sasuke.

Trees and branches lashed out at Sakura as she half walked, half stumbled behind Karin. It angered her that she was like this, so lightheaded from so much blood loss. It made her look weak, and she wasn't. After years of training under the best, she refused to be acknowledged as weak.

The air cooled down, making Sakura realize how long they had been walking. Her shoulder ached in sync with her heartbeat, along with the throb in her skull.

The sun had long since gone down before Sasuke decided to stop for the night and make camp.

"Juugo, scout the area. Karin you have first watch with Suigetsu," Sasuke said as he rolled out his sleeping mat. He then set up the fire, using his signature fire jutsu to light it, before he settled down and fell asleep.

Sakura laid down on the other side of the fire away from all three of them. The ground was hard as she shifted around, trying to find the best position to minimize the pain in her shoulder. It didn't bother her much, countless missions giving her a resistance to the hard ground. Many times she'd found herself sleeping in a tree or on the ground with countless injuries and out of chakra.

An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, waking Sakura from the light sleep she'd been in. She knew Team Hebi wouldn't hurt her, but it was safer to keep her guard up.

Sakura's body didn't ache as much as it had earlier, indicating to her that her chakra levels were refilling.

Pain radiated through her shoulder as she reached her tied hands up and tore the bandages away. The dried blood ripped off her wound, making her gasp quietly. It was like a bee sting that didn't fade, but got stronger.

"Stop it," Sasuke said from the fire, his face illuminated by the flames. He was the only one keeping watch, the others in two tents that had been set up while Sakura had been sleeping. She had heard them setting them up earlier, but she had ignored it after a quick glance.

Sakura ignored him, her fingers pressing against the wound and coating with her blood. Small strands of chakra flowed from her fingers into the wound, glowing green and lighting up her shoulder slightly. It wasn't hard to stitch up the wound from the surface, but muscle and tissue under the surface took more time.

Sasuke watched as Sakura sat there quietly, her face scrunched up as she healed her wound. After a couple of minutes she tried to bring her fingers to her arm, but she couldn't bend them low enough to reach the wound.

"Can you untie me so I can heal my wound," Sakura said softly, her voice faltering slightly. "Please."

Sakura could feel the glare burning into the side of her head, but she refused to look at him. The pain had disappeared from her shoulder, allowing her to lower them and relax the muscles.

The rope was cut from her wrists, making her give out a small sigh. Red lines wrapped around her wrists from where the rope had been, burning and stinging.

Sasuke watched as Sakura quickly healed the red lines, the red fading into a pink and finally disappearing. Then her fingers found her arm, stitching the skin back together, and leaving only a light scar.

Sakura stood up, knowing that Sasuke was going to rebind her wrists again. Any chances of escaping would be lost if he did, and she couldn't afford that.

"Why are you taking me to Sound base?" Sakura asked.

"That's something you don't need to know," he replied as he grabbed rope from his pack. He walked towards her as he infused his chakra into the fibers. "Give me your wrists."

"I don't love you anymore," Sakura said, her heartbeat pounding as she panicked.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, the rope dangling from his left hand.

"I never did," she continued, her mouth speaking before she could think.

"You're lying," Sasuke said as his voice remained low and calm.

Sakura blinked. She could feel the menacing aura seeping from him. Why was he so mad? Wasn't that what he had wanted? Hadn't he wanted her to stop loving him, for everyone to stop loving him?

"Why are you mad?" She asked. "I thought that was what you wanted."

He didn't move as his red eyes focused on her and his fists clenched tightly. "Don't lie to me Sakura."

"I'm not. I…the feelings were fake. They weren't real—I lied." Sakura took a step back in surprise as Sasuke appeared in front of her, his breath fanning her face with warmth. The rope still hung from his clenched fist, and Sakura feared he would try and choke her with it.

"I…felt bad for you, and I mistook those feelings for love. I mixed up pity with love," Sakura said while she took another step back.

"Pity…" Sasuke trailed off.

"Because I had a family, and friends, and people who actually cared about me," Sakura paused, her hands shaking lightly. "And you had no one. Even your fangirls only admired you for your looks."

The sound of skin meeting skin echoed in Sakura's head as she stumbled backwards and fell over a fallen tree. Red bloomed in her cheek immediately, heat following after as the sting faded to a dull throb.

"Go to hell," he said as he turned his back to her. His fists unclenched slightly, reminding him that he was holding the rope. His red eyes narrowed as he looked at the rope, and he turned around quickly.

A tree slammed into his chest, knocking him in the chin and making him fly backwards.

"You first," Sakura said as she turned around and raced into the forest towards the direction of Konoha. Sometimes you had to play dirty to win.

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Well, that's all I have for now. Yep…it's not much, but it's something right? Once again, thank you to everyone that reviewed and kept me motivated!


	4. Unexpected Reunion

Back again! I know, I know, everyone missed me and are jumping with joy-I know that you're all ready to strangle me for my long absence.

**No Longer Weak**

_Unexpected Reunion_

The darkness didn't hinder Sakura as she flew through the forest as fast as she could. This wasn't training anymore. This wasn't just a friendly spar where she stopped when her katana was inches from Naruto's neck. And this certainly wasn't where she gave him a hand and helped him up, and then they went off to get lunch.

This was real.

And when things were real, it was life or death.

Tsunade had taught her that the first day of training. And then she had started throwing kunai at her, one of them imbedding itself in her stomach before she could react. It had hurt like hell, but Tsunade told her that she better get used to it because she would be feeling a lot of it, and often.

And she was right. Everyday she felt pain, and everyday she bled. It was sweat and blood and sometimes tears, but it made her stronger and tougher and _not weak. _

Her strength was why she was here now, running through the forest because her life depended on it, literally. She hadn't just inherited the techniques of a medic nin, but had inherited the strength as well.

It hadn't been hard to pick up the tree and slam it into Sasuke. Perfect chakra control gave her that ability. But it had been hard to trick him, especially when her words cut as deep into her as they had into him.

She didn't love him anymore, which was the truth. But he had been right on the dot by calling her a liar when she had said she had never loved him.

Too many nights of crying and too many days alone ran through her mind, but she pushed them back.

There was no time for remembering the past, especially when her future was on the line. Any moment a kunai could hit her in the back of the neck and end her life, and after what she had said to Sasuke, she doubted he would hesitate in doing so.

A familiar chakra pulsed to her left as she sent out her own chakra to figure out her surroundings.

Sakura wasn't sure whether to be happy or scared, her heart pounding in her chest and ears. She sped up, moving faster than she had ever moved, towards the chakra.

The trees blurred by her, their figures looming over her like people. She broke through them into a clearing, dodging a kunai that flew at her.

"Stop, stop!" Naruto yelled, his voice firm and serious, something Sakura didn't know he was capable of. "Sakura-chan?"

"We have to get to Konoha _now_," Sakura said as she panted lightly, Naruto engulfing her in a hug. She knew that a million questions were running through his mind, but now wasn't the time to answer them.

She sent out another wave of chakra, relieved to find nothing near the clearing as she said, "They'll be here soon if we don't start moving."

"Okay," Naruto replied, quickly heading to his pack and shoving things into it. "Let's head out."

Naruto watched as Sakura fidgeted from foot to foot, glancing over her shoulder and sending out chakra to make sure no one was near them. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Sasuke wouldn't get let her escape, especially after the stunt she had pulled.

"You're fine Sakura," Naruto said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. He glanced down at what she was wearing, but didn't ask. There wasn't time for asking, this wasn't the time for anything, but getting Sakura back to Konoha safe. "I'm here, and I won't let him get you."

Sakura nodded and smiled at him, reassuring him that she was fine.

Naruto and a couple more ANBU followed Sakura into the forest on the other side of the clearing. Sakura wasn't sure what mission Naruto was out on, but Tsunade would understand, especially when Team Hebi was nearby.

They flew through the trees quickly and quietly. The others had their masks on, even Naruto, and Sakura felt naked without hers.

"Naruto toss me a few kunai." Sakura caught the kunai and quickly put them into her empty holster. The weight reassured her, but only slightly.

Something grabbed onto her ankle, dragging her off the branch. Yells echoed after her as she fell through the trees—like a falling angel— and hit the ground with a thud.

"What the…" Sakura didn't finish as she kicked out at whatever was latching onto her leg. Her eyes widened as she felt the slimy, scaly skin of a snake, and the hiss that accompanied it resounded in her ears. "Oh fuck."

Her kunai sliced through the snake's head, dislodging its body from her leg and turning it into a puff of smoke. She got to her feet immediately, but another hiss sounded behind her.

Naruto's shouts were heard above her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Something thick wrapped around her neck, bringing her to her knees as it coiled tightly and cut off her air supply.

"Don't choke her." Sakura flinched as Sasuke appeared behind her, his katana lightly tapping the snake's large head. It hissed lightly and loosened up, giving Sakura enough room to breath.

Naruto jumped from the trees, his ANBU team on both sides of him.

Sakura tried to speak, but the snake tightened its hold, making her choke. She clawed at its hard skin with one of her hands, her other reaching for a kunai.

The snake didn't have time to react when Sakura buried the kunai into its head. She screamed when its fangs buried themselves in her shoulder, ripping through muscle and tissue as she quickly threw it off her and onto the ground.

Naruto flew at Sasuke, his hands forming signs in a blur, "You bastard!"

Chaos erupted around Sakura as Sasuke and Naruto disappeared in a blur, the clashes of their katanas echoing in her ears.

The other ANBU only had a chance to react before the rest of Team Hebi came from different angles. Weapons flew past Sakura as she used her own kunai to deflect them.

"You bitch," Karin said as she flew at Sakura. In her hands were four kunai, two which she threw at Sakura. "I'll kill you!"

"You can try," Sakura yelled as she blurred and disappeared, the kunai embedding into the ground she had been standing on.

Karin screamed, the sound mixing with the other shouts and clangs, as a kunai buried itself in her thigh. A shuriken spun around and around her, the wire binding digging into her skin.

Anger ran through her as she scolded herself for falling for the same trick twice, but it turned into shock and pain as an electric current ran through her. She blanked out for a second before she came back to her senses, lying on her back. The wire was gone, but when Karin went to move she found that her body wasn't listening to her.

"You can try," Sakura repeated quietly as she stood over Karin, a kunai in each hand. Sasuke's white shirt hung from her frame loosely, blood inking it, and turning her into the image of a deadly ghost.

Sakura aimed the kunai at Karin's neck, planning for a quick and painful kill. She never liked killing, and tried not to when she had the choice, but this had to be done. Karin was a missing nin, with a large bounty on her head because of her alliance with Sasuke, and was therefore a threat to Konoha.

It happened before Sakura could throw the kunai. Electricity charged the air as the surroundings went silent. It was like her whole body was surrounded by ice, and she couldn't move an inch.

Her body shook as she tried to free herself from the paralyzed state. Her eyes moved around the clearing, and she found the other ANBU frozen too. Two lay on the ground, one dead and the other's chest barely moving.

Team Hebi remained frozen also, but their faces didn't hold panic. Juugo was in the middle of a transformation, his body morphed between two different states. Suigetsu's sword was held over his head, ready to slice and dice the ANBU in front of him.

The fear Sakura suddenly felt would have made her stumble if she could, but instead she remained frozen.

Sasuke stood in the middle of everything, Naruto kneeling in front of him. Naruto's head was raised, his neck bared and open for attack. He glared at Sasuke, his whiskers darker than usual on his face.

"You should have ran when you had the chance," Sasuke said, his eyes red, reminding Sakura of blood. It made her shiver, making her realize that she wasn't completely paralyzed.

"A-away from you?" Naruto replied with difficulty, his body shaking as he tried to free himself. "You wish, bastard."

"You're going to wish you had when I kill you." Sasuke's katana blazed a bright blue, the air around it crackling with energy.

Sakura screamed as the katana rose above Sasuke's head. It fell in a blue arch, aimed straight at Naruto's neck.

"Sakura!" Naruto was pushed backwards, falling onto his back, as Sakura stood above him. Her kunai glowed green as they crossed, holding the katana in a lock.

Sasuke's face showed shock for a split second before it turned emotionless again. He smirked, his eyes glowing even redder as he pressed down on the katana.

The skin on Sakura's cheek split, creating a spider web of red. She could feel the energy licking at her skin as she fell to one knee.

"You are the first to do that," he said calmly. "Sakura."

Sakura flew backwards, her back connecting with a tree and stopping her. She let out a grunt as she slid down, the bark tearing at her back with its jagged edges.

Naruto watched at Sasuke advanced towards Sakura, his blue eyes turning cold. He had held some hope that maybe—just maybe—Sasuke would come back. But he had been wrong, so wrong.

Sasuke's hand disappeared, a snake taking its place as it flew out and wrapped around Sakura. She yelled out as it dragged her to him, her feet kicking out as she struggled to get free.

"You continue to surprise me." Sakura glared at Sasuke as he held her in front of him. She wanted to spit in his face, to surprise him once again as the spit dribbled down his face. And that wasn't all she wanted to do. She wanted to punch his face, to take away the deceiving beauty and show what lay underneath.

The horror he was capable of and had done over and over. And the beast that he truly was.

The man he had stopped being and the monster he had become.

The person she had hoped he could be, and the horrible person he truly was.

And when she had offered up her heart, everything she had had to him, he'd taken out a hammer and smashed it into the thousand pieces. Pieces that would never mend back together, pieces she'd never be able to fix.

Sakura let out a sound as she was lifted off her feet. She was turned towards Naruto, his blue eyes cold and hard.

Déjà vu hit her in the chest, making it hard to breathe, as Sasuke came up behind her.

His fingers were surprisingly warm as they brushed her pink hair aside and lightly touched her neck. They moved up and down her neck, under the collar of the white shirt and back up into her hairline, giving her goose bumps.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Sakura saw Naruto jump up, the paralysis suddenly gone.

The last thing she saw was his murderous red eyes, no longer blue, and the fox whiskers darkening on his face. The warm fingers continued to dance on her neck as she blacked out.

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So Carly-chan has guilted me into finishing chapter 5 so that I could get chapter 4 posted—well she didn't really 'guilt' me since I was planning on finished chapter 5, but she nudged me into doing it today.

That was one of my goals on my livejournal, yes LIVEJOURNAL—with all of it's sneak peaks of future chapters of my stories and whatnots, yes SNEAK PEAKS. I can't really hint at it any more than that, I seriously can't.


	5. Second Attempt

Hello everyone! So even though no one is reading this at the moment, I just wanted to say thank you to all my readers, for both this story and Sangreal. The reviews have kept me motivated, and kept my mind from shutting down on me.

**No Longer Weak**

_Second Attempt  
_

"I'm sorry, but you got taken out by a fucking twig." Suigetsu laughed loudly, not caring that Sasuke looked like he was about to murder him. They raced through the trees, their feet making dull thuds against the branches and shaking the leaves.

"It was a tree," Sasuke said, his hand on his katana. His other was back to its original form, Sakura resting securely on his back. "Not some damn twig."

"Still, you got taken out by it. That's the first time I've ever seen that happen," Suigetsu said as he continued to laugh. His sword bobbed left and right as he jumped from branch to branch, his shoulders making it shake up and down as he laughed. "That made my day, no, that made my life."

"Good because I'm about to end it." Sasuke's glare finally caught Suigetsu's attention, making his laughing tone down to an airy laugh.

This was what Sakura heard as she slowly came back to reality. It reminded her of Naruto and Sai's arguments, but it wasn't a pleasant reminder.

"Did you kill them?" Sakura muttered, knowing that Sasuke had heard. His shoulders stiffened, making Sakura worry. What if Naruto was dead? It would be her fault if he was, and she wasn't sure she could live with that. She wouldn't be able to live each day knowing that Naruto wasn't because she had led Sasuke straight to him.

That she had dug his grave, and then shoved him in it.

"No, they managed to get away before I could," Sasuke said emotionlessly. Sakura wanted to hit him with another tree, so hard that hopefully he would lose enough brain cells to turn into a mindless vegetable. "The ones that could still walk that is."

"Naruto?" Sakura flinched as she asked. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, especially if the response wasn't to her liking.

"Alive…unfortunately. He left swearing he would come back to kill me," Sasuke said with a smirk. Like the idiot could kill him, he would need a couple more decades of training before he could even lay on hand on him. "And here I thought he'd be swearing he'd come back to bring me back to Konoha, guess not."

"He gave that up a long time ago. Everyone did. Now the only reason people want you back is so they can put you on trial and kill you, last Uchiha or not." Sakura flinched as Sasuke shifted her roughly on his back. The bastard just had to get back at everything she said did he, even if she hadn't meant it as an insult.

"One of the last Uchiha," Sasuke corrected, his voice tight. Sakura flinched again. Opps. Well now she at least knew where his sore spot was incase she ever needed to irritate him…again.

"You haven't killed him yet?" Sakura knew she was signing her death sentence by continuing to talk, but what the hell. She was already being run to her death as it was, so why prolong it. "I guess you leaving Konoha didn't help at all."

"You don't know anything." That was all he said before they both fell silent.

Sakura could feel the glare Karin was giving from the side, but she didn't care. It's not like she was staking her claim on Sasuke or anything. For all she cared Karin could have him all to herself, herself not being much more than whining brat who couldn't even hold her own in a fight.

In a way Karin reminded Sakura of herself. She had been that weak once, and that hung over on Sasuke. Looking at herself now, Sakura knew she'd come a long way, a lot farther than anyone had expected except Tsunade.

Tsunade had known how far she'd go, and had pushed her even farther than that. She had shaped Sakura to be who she was now, and Sakura wasn't sure where she'd be if she hadn't asked Tsunade to train her. Maybe she'd be just as weak, or maybe she'd be a little bit stronger, but not as strong as she was now, that much she knew.

Sakura noticed that they were slowing down, and she couldn't wait to get off Sasuke's back. It was starting to irritate her to her wits end. It wasn't pleasant having to be carried by the one person you detested the most, who ruined your childhood memories and threatened you future.

They finally stopped, and Sakura eagerly got off Sasuke's back. Her head screamed in protest, making her dizzy for a moment longer than normal, as she stretched her leg muscles from not moving for so long. Everywhere ached on her body, from the top of her head down to her toes.

The cloth around her shoulder felt sticky and Sakura could guess that it was blood. The area felt numb, making Sakura worry. But there was nothing she could do, not while she was out here in the middle of the forest with four other people with no medical training. And she doubted Sasuke would unbind her again so that she could heal herself, not that she had enough chakra to. The skin on her cheek also hurt, little red droplets of blood still dripping slowly down her cheek and neck.

With a sigh, Sakura sat on the ground. It took her a minute to realize that it was almost nightfall. How long had she been out? Clearly longer than she thought she'd been.

Juugo and Suigetsu went about setting up tents, while Karin went and gathered firewood. Sasuke disappeared, coming back minutes later and confirming that the surroundings were secure.

Karin came back minutes after him, kneeling down to set up the fire.

"She's using her chakra again, I can sense it streaming out of her in little amounts," Karin sneered as she rose to her feet, her eyes looking at Sakura like she was no better than dirt.

"It's a habit," Sakura said without moving. Karin may be able to sense chakra, but she couldn't sense why people used it.

"Since when?" Sasuke asked as he came back into the campsite and dropped wood in front of the fire pit.

"Since after you left," Sakura said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Not that you would know."

"Still caught up over my leaving," Sasuke said with a smirk. "How weak."

His smirk fell from his face as a kunai buried itself in his shoulder, just above his heart. Where the hell had she gotten a kunai from?

"Don't ever call me weak again," Sakura murmured from her seat on the ground. It didn't even look like she had moved, but the kunai in Sasuke's shoulder told everyone otherwise "Or next time the kunai will be lower."

Suigetsu was on her in a blink of an eye, his massive sword's edge inches from her face.

"You hurt him," he paused, drawing the edge till it was barely touching her nose. "I'll kill you."

"First of all, I already hurt him," Sakura said with a small innocent smile on her face. "And second of all, you can't kill me. Your mission was to bring me back _alive_."

Suigetsu hesitated for a moment, drawing his sword back an inch. Karin appeared out of no where, crouching down with a kunai in her hand.

"We may have to bring you back alive, but we don't have to bring you back in one piece," she said with a smirk.

"If you cut off any of my ligaments, I'll bleed out," Sakura said as she tried not to let her voice shake. There was nothing worse than losing a ligament, especially one you needed. "And I doubt any of you have the medical skills to keep me alive if that happens."

"Enough." Suigetsu and Karin were off Sakura a second later. Sasuke hauled Sakura to her feet, pulling her towards his tent. Without another a word, they disappeared inside, leaving the others to take the first watch.

"Heal me," Sasuke demanded as he watched Sakura sit down heavily. He crouched down next to her, his hand twitching as if itching to pull out the kunai, but knowing better than to do something stupid like that. There was no way he was going to bleed out after coming this far, especially when he still had his goals to complete. "And I know you have enough chakra to so don't lie."

Sakura took out the kunai roughly, smirking when she felt Sasuke flinch under her fingers. Using her chakra, she healed the wound easily. The amount of chakra to heal the wound turned out to be more than she'd expected, making her lightheaded and dizzy.

A hand caught her shoulder as she slid backwards into unconsciousness.

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Sakura woke to softness under her. A sleeping bag, the first she'd been given since her capture.

Nighttime loomed over her, the sky blocked by the tent she was in.

She was just about to get up when a hand reached out and pressed her shoulder back down.

"What—" Sakura was cut off, the hand still holding her down against the ground.

"Stay in the tent Sakura," Sasuke commanded, his back facing the opening of the tent that was zipped closed.

"Like hell I will," Sakura retorted stubbornly, moving to get up again.

"Sakura." The warning tone in Sasuke's voice didn't scare Sakura one bit, in fact it made her want to laugh, but she decided to play nice just this once.

Settling back down, she turned her back to him and scooted as close as she could to the farthest side of the tent.

Sakura shuffled around, tossing and turning on purpose to annoy Sasuke. Minutes passed as she continued to shift before Sasuke's arm appeared in the corner of her eye. She froze as it wrapped around her front, trapping her arms at her side.

"Sasuke," Sakura warned as his arm tightened around her, pulling her against him lightly.

"I don't like it just as much as you, but you won't stop moving and it's annoying me," Sasuke answered through the darkness, his breath ruffling Sakura's hair lightly and ghosting along the back of her neck.

Goosebumps rose on her skin, annoying her just as much as she annoyed him. Her body was betraying her, her eyes all of a sudden feeling heavy.

_Don't go to sleep!_ Was Sakura's last thought before fell asleep.

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Sakura woke up feeling well rested, better than she had in days. She woke wishing everything was a dream and that she was in her apartment, in her comfortable bed, in Konoha.

But wishes didn't come true, not when she'd wished so many times before and none of them had come true. It was nothing new, the disappointment familiar.

Sasuke's arms tightened around Sakura's thighs, as if expecting her to try and escape. They approached the base quickly, disappearing through two large trees, that loomed over them, after Suigetsu made some hand signs. They looked just like any other ordinary tree in the forest, but once they passed through them, the world around them transformed, the genjutsu falling away to reveal what really lay in the forest.

The large base of rock and stone stood in front of them, a fortress of black stone glittering in the sunlight and surrounded by trees, the Sound symbol carved over the large entrance. Two groups of Sound nin stood in the entrance way, freezing and staring at the group as they walked past.

Sakura grit her teeth against the urge to fight. She wanted to spring off Sasuke's back and plunge her katana into each and every one of their chests. With that thought, she realized her katana wasn't with her.

Her precious katana! Her weapon of choice and safety blanket. Until now she'd been preoccupied with escaping, but the realization suddenly made her feel bare, naked even.

"Where's my katana?" Sakura murmured in Sasuke's ear, ignoring the musky smell that was all Sasuke.

"Not where you can get at it," he replied, tightening his hands around her thighs until the force was bruising. Sakura winced, but not at the force. Her katana somewhere, and at this point it could be anywhere between here and back where she'd been kidnapped, the first time.

_The first time, _Sakura gloomily thought, frowning. _What good are my skills if I can't even prevent myself from being kidnapped, twice!_

Sasuke branched off from the group and headed down a set of stairs. The air got colder as they descended, making Sakura's gut twist with dread.

The question of her capture came back. Did they kidnap her for information? And were they going to torture her to get it?

Or were there a more specific reason she was here? Did they need her medical skills? And if they did, where was Kabuto? Last she'd heard, he was alive or maybe he wasn't if they needed her…

Sasuke turned a corner and walked down the stone hallway. It was dark and dreary, the walls lined with wooden doors with bars at the top for people to look in.

Sakura swallowed as Sasuke opened one of the doors and walked in, approaching the wall. He set her down and untied the rope around her wrists, his eyes firmly placed on what he was doing.

The rope fell to the floor with a light thud, making Sakura's breath catch. What was he doing? Was he really going to lock her up down here, making her the only prisoner?

The clinking of chains startled Sakura. Sasuke took her wrist and clasped the shackle around her left wrist before doing the same with the right, fusing chakra into the shackles. Then he stepped back and looked at her, watching her stand there.

The chains were short, too short to get anywhere near the door. And the shackles dwarfed Sakura's wrists, making her seem small and fragile in the cell. The only color came from her outfit and pink locks, the sunlight barely filtering through the bars in the upper corner.

"You're not going to leave me here are you?" Sakura asked, trembling slightly. She wasn't afraid of the torture, of the demand for information and answers and whatever else they wanted from her. But being alone, here in this cell, brought back memories, nightmares, that she wished to never remember.

"I have no choice," Sasuke told her, watching as she slid down the wall until she was sitting. "You'll just keep trying to escape if I put you in one of the rooms."

Sakura nodded, not saying a word as Sasuke closed the door and locked it with his chakra. The sound echoed, along with Sasuke's near silent footsteps as he walked away.

Silence followed, thick and terrifying. Being alone in this place was its own kind of torture, a torture that threatened to drive Sakura crazy.

The memories of being alone found their way into her mind. All those years ago, of being alone in the forest as she bled to death. Waiting to die as the world spun around her, darkness creeping into the corners of her eyes. The agony of knowing no one would miss her, of knowing that no one would remember her after her funeral. The realization that Naruto would move on, his main goal of bringing Sasuke back blocking out his pain. The knowledge that Tsunade would weep at the news that her pupil was dead, and then go back to her duties.

Sasuke shook her head, whimpering lightly. Her slender fingers covered her face, moving up to clench at her hair. To clench at the memories in her head and push them away.

Minutes turned to hours as Sakura sat there. No one came down, leaving Sakura only in the company of silence. A bird chirping outside of the window brought her back to reality and out of her nightmares.

What was she doing sitting there, when she should be escaping?

Sakura stood, assessing the chains. There was no way she was going to be able to break the shackles, not with Sasuke's chakra infused in them.

Looking at the wall, Sakura smirked. Just because his chakra was in the shackles didn't mean that it was in the wall. All it would take was a little pull with some of her chakra and she'd be free.

Placing her hands on each of the chains, Sakura felt the chakra coursing through her arms. With a pull, the walls crumbled and the chains detached themselves from the wall.

But the chains ran upwards, now dangling from the ceiling. They ran into the next floor? Sakura huffed and bent over, placing her foot on one of the chains. With a pull, the chain snapped off of the shackle. She did the same, finally free.

Now, how to get out? Did she really want to risk going through the entrance, especially when there were no doubt Sound nin lounging around?

The bird chirped again, drawing Sakura's attention to the corner. She went over to it and reached up, touching the bars. They were big enough for her to fit through, but barely. And her chakra levels were getting low, so low that she had to be very careful.

Using her chakra carefully, she ripped the bars out of the wall and gently placed it on the ground. She wasn't sure if anyone would be able to hear, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Black dots appeared in the corners of her vision for a moment, making her brace herself against the wall. Sakura was tempted to just lay down right there and sleep, her body so exhausted, but she couldn't. She didn't go through all that trouble just to give up.

The muscles in her arms tensed as Sakura grabbed the edge of the opening and pulled herself up. Jagged edges dug into her hands, scraping her fingers and palms, but she didn't let go.

Her wounds screamed as white fire shot through them, making her whimper lightly. But she was already so close, there was no was she going to give up. She could just heal her wounds later.

The ground was a couple of feet below the opening and her upper body slowly slid down the wall as her lower body dangled in the cell. The jagged edges dug into her hips and stomach painfully, making her gasp.

Barely breathing, Sakura lifted her hips and braced herself as she shoved her feet against the ceiling. She felt her skin tearing along with her clothing, but she slammed into the ground before she could register the pain.

A new pain radiated through her shoulder, making her grit her teeth. It seemed that her shoulders always got the brunt of injuries. But the wound didn't bleed, at least not that Sakura could tell, the spot already red from the last time it had bled. Little dots of red appeared on her shirt, just below her stomach. Long cuts littered her thighs and legs, one running from her knee all the way down her shin. All of them throbbed, in fact, everything throbbed Sakura realized.

But none of that mattered because she was free. And there was no time to think about the pain, there was no time for anything but escaping…again. Sakura smirked at the thought as she got to her feet.

_Watch me be weak now Sasuke_, Sakura thought mockingly, glancing at the hole she'd just come through. And then she ran into the forest, heading straight for Konoha.

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Well I had some time so I thought I'd write another chapter, and wah-laa! Numero cinco is all done and ready for the printing press :D.


	6. Demands and Refusals

**No Longer Weak**

_Demands_ _and Refusals_

Sasuke walked into the Main room. It was large and circular, lying at the center of the Sound base, a round table sitting directly in the middle. In the table was a carved snake that wound around and around until its tail ended in the middle. The snakes head lay in the table in front of the head chair, the beady eyes glittering with black obsidian.

Orochimaru had specifically designed this table, making the carver redo the table four times when it didn't meet to his satisfaction.

"Where's the new guy?" Kabuto questioned, looking up from his paperwork. He watched as Sasuke scanned the room, his obsidian orbs landing on the paper in Kabuto's hand.

"Dead," Sasuke answered, his voice showing that he could care less.

"Why? You were supposed to keep him alive." Kabuto went back to his paperwork, scribbling something on the scroll before rolling it up and placing it next to several other rolled up ones. Then he took another paper and scanned it, reading lines here and there.

"You said to retrieve Sakura no matter what it takes," Sasuke said as he walked back towards the doorway. "It took his death to retrieve her."

"So the mission was a success," Kabuto stated, his eyes flickering up to Sasuke's back. "Did you have any trouble with her?"

"Hn."

"Tomorrow we will start," Kabuto told him, staring at the head chair.

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A noise came from behind Sakura, drawing her attention away from her surroundings as she ran. Sending out her chakra, she found no one near. The forest was deserted.

So where had that sound come from? It had sounded like an explosion, but it was too far back for Sakura to see sense anything.

Sakura's feet pounded against the forest floor, the dull thuds echoing in her ears. Every step was closer to Konoha and farther away from Sound base.

Running so fast, Sakura barely had time to react when something caught her in the ankle and brought her down. Using her hands, she managed to cartwheel onto her feet before she hit the ground.

Sliding back a couple of feet from the momentum, Sakura searched for whatever had tripped her. Her ankle throbbed, a thin line of blood reaching from one side of her ankle and around the front to the other side.

A thin wire caught her attention, inches from the ground and barely visible. It wrapped around one tree and disappeared to the left, making Sakura wonder how far it went.

Suddenly it clicked, making Sakura stand up quickly.

"The forest—" Sakura was cut off by an explosion up ahead of her in the direction she'd been running. A wind blew her hair around her face, making her crouch incase any pieces came her way. "It's booby-trapped."

Sakura's senses picked up on a group of approaching Sound nin, coming straight towards her and fast. She contemplated on what to do. Try and out run them when she was low on chakra or climb a tree and hide out until they were gone?

The latter option seemed more practical and Sakura was in the nearest tree in seconds. Masking her chakra, she waited for the Sound nin to go by.

"She set off the explosions," a Sound nin told the group as they raced by. "But she didn't get caught in them, so she must be moving faster than the traps."

Sakura let out her breath as they faded into the distance. She sent out some chakra to assess the surroundings, making sure to search carefully for any wires.

There was another wire to the left, about a half mile away. The wires seemed to branch out in a pattern, covering almost all of the forest.

If they were mapped out all over the forest, then how did Sasuke avoid them when they'd gone through? Sakura suddenly recalled Sasuke being in the front, the others following behind him. He must have used his Sharingan to sense the wires and then lead them around them.

_I'm so stupid_, Sakura yelled in her mind. Why didn't she notice before? He never led, ever, and then suddenly he decides to? That should have set off an alarm right there, but Sakura had been too out of it and preoccupied to realize it.

A whizzing noise brought Sakura out of her thoughts. Leaping to another tree, kunai embedded into the space that Sakura had been.

"Don't let her escape!" Karin screeched. She took out more kunai and flung them at Sakura, the Sound nin doing the same.

Sakura cursed under her breath, jumping again. She caught two of the kunai and set them back, watching with satisfaction as one of the nin dropped to the ground and another grunted in pain.

_Karin, she can sense chakra_, Sakura thought in realization. _Shit, that means she felt my chakra when I used it, leading them right to me! You truly are stupid Haruno and your stupidity is going to get you killed!_

Shuriken whizzed by Sakura, making her duck. A Sound nin jumped onto her branch, aiming for her chest with a fist. Ducking again, Sakura swung out her leg and knocked his legs out from under him. He fell off the branch and hit the ground with a thud, a syringe falling out of his hand.

Sakura noticed the syringe and her mind processed what was going on. They weren't trying to kill her, they were trying too…

Something hit Sakura in the back with a sharp sting, breaking off her thought. It dug deeper, going into her muscle and making her grit her teeth in both anger and pain.

Spinning around, Sakura punched Karin in the face, a snap indicating that her nose was broken. Karin screamed out but was cut off when she slammed into a tree feet away.

Sakura reached up and pulled the object out of her back. The syringe was half empty, making Sakura's stomach twist in dread. She wasn't sure what was in it but it wasn't good.

The world suddenly started to fade out before Sakura, the sounds around her morphing together and making her head pound. Her legs felt like rubber, threatening to bring her feet out from under her.

Falling to her knees, Sakura tried to get back up, but her body was too heavy. She faintly remembered feeling like this once before, back when she'd been training with Tsunade. Tsunade had hit her with one and she'd been out for hours.

Someone caught Sakura as she fell sideways off the branch, their arms iron tight and holding her securely.

"Let's go," a voice commanded from above Sakura. "Let's get princess here back to the base before Sasuke decides we don't need our heads."

Sakura's head lulled backwards, her eyes closing against her will. She woke up a couple of minutes later, faintly registering that they were heading back towards the base. All of her thoughts mixed together, making her dizzy and disoriented. For a moment she forgot where she was, her mind only registering her confusion and the pain in her shoulder.

With that thought the Sound base came into sight. Sakura started to weakly struggle as they walked into the entrance for the second time that day, two times too many for Sakura.

Although her body was still under the effects of the drug, Sakura managed to lift her fist and start hitting the nin. The nin grunted as she clipped him in the chin, his eyes narrowing into a glare at her.

The nin placed her on her feet when she punched him in the chin again, a curse coming out of his mouth. He grabbed onto one of her arms roughly, making her stumble when he pulled her towards one of the stairways.

"I thought you drugged her," he asked one of the other nin, glaring at him. Sakura yanked on her arm harshly, trying to break free.

"Karin did," someone muttered, holding Karin in his arms as she whimpered in pain. Her fingers clutched her nose, blood dripping down her wrists heavily.

"Figures," the nin sneered, moving up the stairway and dragging Sakura with him. She stumbled up it after him, her feet clumsily trying to find the steps. Using her hand, she braced herself when she fell, her foot catching on the corner.

"Come on," the nin grunted, puller her up harshly. He didn't slow down as they made it to the top and went down one of the hallways, but instead seemed to speed up as if eager to get to wherever they were going.

He finally stopped, much to Sakura's relief, and knocked on a door. The door had no handle, the stone smooth and black. On the front laid the Uchiha crest, glittering from the dim lights in the walls.

Sakura heard the door slide open, drawing her attention to the Uchiha standing in the doorway.

"What?" Sasuke said, his voice holding an annoyed tone in it. His eyes flickered from the nin, who was not so confident anymore, to Sakura, her eyes half lidded and swaying on her feet.

"S-she escaped Uchiha-sama," the nin stuttered, glancing at Sakura. He rocked back on his heels, fighting the urge to run.

A dark aura emitted from Sasuke, one of anger and annoyance.

"How?" he asked, glaring at the nin. There was supposed to be someone guarding her, but clearly there hadn't been if she'd managed to escape.

_They're useless, _Sasuke thought angrily. _They can't even do their fucking jobs._

"She ripped the chains out of the wall," the nin paused, swallowing heavily. "And then she climbed through the window."

Sasuke didn't say anything, his eyes focused on Sakura in annoyance. She just wouldn't stop would she? It was clear that she wasn't going anywhere, so why did she continue to cause so much trouble?

"Leave," Sasuke commanded, taking Sakura's other arm and pulling her into his room. "From now on, she stays here, where she _won_'_t_ escape."

The nin bowed and was down the hall before Sasuke had closed the door. He glanced back at the closed door, a feeling akin to pity settling into his stomach for the pink haired girl. Sasuke had not looked happy and it was all her fault.

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Sakura collapsed on the bed, her eyes drooping. They stared unseeingly up at the ceiling, the green dull and sleepy looking.

Sasuke leaned against the wall and watched her. She looked beaten up and in serious need of a bath. Blood spots were everywhere on her—his actually—shirt. A big red patch of dried blood covered her shoulder where his snake had bitten her. Her cheek still looked raw, a side effect of a wound from electricity. More injuries littered her legs and thighs, a line of red going across her shirt near her abdomen.

"Will there be a third?" Sasuke watched as her drooping eyes opened, as if she suddenly realized where she was.

"Third?" she asked softly, trying to sit up but failing. She fell back against the bed with a grunt, her hair fanning around her and sticking to her cheek.

"Will there be a third attempted escape?" Sasuke repeated, watching as she shifted around, trying to get comfortable. Sasuke wanted to remind her that that was his bed and that only yesterday she'd been trying to kill him, but he decided against it.

"The first time wasn't an attempt," Sakura told him, ignoring the blood seeping onto his pillow and faintly thinking that he deserved it. "It was a success."

"Hn."

"Get a new vocabulary," Sakura muttered, sighing as she drifted off. Her body relaxed, her shoulders loosing their tenseness.

The urge to push her off the bed made him clench his fists. Who was she to tell him what to do, especially when it came to his word choice? And who did she think she was, sleeping on his bed? Had she asked? No. Not that he would have said yes if she had asked.

Sasuke scoffed as she rolled onto her side, smearing blood on the white cloth. Walking over to her, he assessed her injuries, taking in the cuts on her legs and the evident red spot on her shoulder. All of them looked painful, something that surprised Sasuke, along with the thought that she'd kept going on through all the pain.

Seeing her like this, the memories flashed before his eyes. The Sakura in front of him was nothing like the old one, nothing like what he'd expected when that had met again. The woman in front of him was no longer the girl that always cried and fell first, always having to rely on everyone else instead of helping.

Sasuke suddenly remembered the words she'd said to him, of her pity for him and her fake love. That love, it'd been his lifeline. It was what had kept him going, knowing that someone out there cared for him enough to do what she had done, back when they were young and naïve. To find out that it was all a lie, that his hope had all been because of some false love, angered him and made him doubt everything that he was, everything that that false love had made him and given him the strength to achieve.

No, she was a prisoner now. Nothing more. Whatever she had been in the past, she wasn't anymore. She was here to accomplish only one thing, and Sasuke was going to make damn sure that she did it.

The idea Sasuke growl in annoyance, his eyes avoiding the woman on the bed. He knew that she would refuse, of course she would. She had tried to escape twice. She was stubborn. With a scowl, he turned towards the door and walked out, not once looking back at the _prisoner_ on his bed.

Sakura awoke to a throbbing pain in her shoulder and a headache. The pain was nothing new though, not hindering Sakura as she sat up and went towards the door.

Finding no handle, Sakura was half tempted to smash the door to pieces, but decided that that would not be such a good idea. A third attempt at escape might prove to be too much for Sasuke's anger management issues, which he no doubt had.

The door suddenly slid open, making Sakura step back in surprise. Turning, she sat down on the bed and made a show of getting comfy.

Sasuke glared at her, daring her to continue as he stepped further into the room, the door closing behind him. Not surprisingly, Sakura patted the spot next to herself with a mocking grin. "You can sit down. I promise not to get blood on you."

"Hn."

"Want to take these off?" Sakura held up her wrists, clanging the shackles together lightly.

"No."

Sakura pouted. "Why?"

"Because I don't feel like it," Sasuke remarked, looking down at her wrists when she continued to clang the shackles together. "Stop."

"What am I doing here?" Sasuke stared at her, not surprised to find her suddenly serious. A seriousness came across her face, wiping away all playfulness that had been there seconds ago. Her hands folded on her knees as she leaned on her elbows.

He watched as she winced, reaching up to rub her shoulder "We need your medical skills."

"Have Kabuto heal them," Sakura said, her eyes blankly staring at the floor with boredom. She already knew her answer: no. And if she could bet on it, she'd bet that Sasuke knew it too. But she wanted to know why he was still asking, why he was still trying when it was clear that she wasn't going to heal anyone in the Sound base.

"He's tried, but he can't figure out what's wrong," Sasuke informed her.

"Who?"

"Orochimaru." Sakura laughed, shaking her head lightly back and forth.

"He's dead unless you haven't gotten the news yet. In that case, you might want to sit down when I break the news to you." Sasuke glared at her, taking a step forward and waiting for her to cower in fear at his menacing aura.

But she didn't, so he said, "He's still alive. Barely. We need you to heal him."

"You're just going to have to find another healer with my level of skill Sasuke because I'm not going to heal him," Sakura stated, not flinching when Sasuke's katana was suddenly inches from her jugular.

"You will heal him Sakura," Sasuke retaliated. "You aren't in Konoha, you're _here_. You don't have a choice in the matter."

"I'm pretty sure I do. You need_ me_. You need my skills. You need my experience. Without me, you're at a dead end. I wouldn't be here if you weren't," Sakura replied, leaning back slightly when the katana grew closer.

"I won't hesitate to kill you Sakura." Sakura scoffed, but she held her hands tightly to prevent them from shaking. "We don't need you that much."

"You do or else you wouldn't be so mad."

Sasuke glared at her, pulling back his katana. He continued to stare at her, realizing that she was right, but refusing to admit it. They didn't need her. Kabuto would figure out a way to heal him sooner or later, but he didn't have that much time, not when Itachi was still out there and just waiting to be killed.

"You will heal him," Sasuke sneered, walking to the door and disappearing through it without a second glance.

"I won't," Sakura called out after him, smirking when the door closed with a loud thud. The smirk fell away after a few seconds, revealing the worry that Sakura was feeling.

Orochimaru was alive.

And Sasuke wasn't going to take no for an answer.

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Chapter 6 is done, finally! This is really short, but I guess I have nothing else to say, so thanks for reading! Sangreal is next I think…not really sure anymore which stories I'm doing next, just whichever I feel like doing.


	7. Just a Pawn

**No Longer Weak**

_Just a Pawn_

Angry didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling. It was much more than that, all fury and frustration mixed together and making his blood boil dangerously. And when his katana suddenly found itself embedded in her body, she'd find out just how much her stubbornness angered him.

Her hard headedness was becoming more than just a problem. Because he hadn't expected it only made it ten times worse. He wasn't used to this new Sakura and her tendencies to piss him off with everything she did. Where was the old Sakura that had done everything to please him, complied with his every demand?

With a heavy sigh, Sasuke slowly started to realize that the old Sakura was gone, and the new one was currently residing in his room, ready to wreak havoc on him any way she could.

Unwillingly, her earlier words repeated themselves over and over in his mind, making him clench his hair with one hand. No matter how much hell she gave him, they did need her. _He _needed her to complete his goals and it bothered him that he was relying on her so much.

Relying on someone showed weakness and weakness brought failure. If there was one thing that Sasuke hated more than his brother, it was failure.

"How'd it go?" Kabuto asked mockingly as he strolled towards Sasuke, pretending not to notice the angry aura emanating off of him.

Scowling, Sasuke turned away from Kabuto and headed down the hallway. "It went fine."

"Did she say yes?" Kabuto looked at Sasuke's door with a raised eyebrow, wondering what had happened behind it moments ago.

"No," Sasuke muttered, not saying anything else as he turned the corner.

"You have twenty minutes. Don't be late," Kabuto called after him, chuckling when Sasuke didn't bother to respond.

Sakura was on her feet before the door could slide halfway open. When Sasuke didn't walk through the door, she wasn't very surprised. He'd left in a bad mood, angrier than she'd ever seen him. She fought the temptation to pat herself on the back for a job well done.

What she wasn't prepared for was Kabuto walking through the door. Before she could stop herself, confusion had flashed in her eyes for a moment before she raised her guard again.

"It's been a while," Kabuto reminisced, taking in all of Sakura with one sweep of his eyes. "You've grown."

Sakura chose not to respond and instead offered him a fake smile. When he returned the smile, she wasn't sure whether he believed the smile was real or not.

"You've gotten older yourself," Sakura remarked while crossing her arms, watching as Kabuto stared at her for a moment before smirking.

"I have, but that hasn't affected my abilities," Kabuto returned before turning and heading for the door. He motioned with his hand for her to follow, stopping when she didn't.

"Come on. I'm sure you'd like a shower." His eyes swept down her body, taking in the dirt and blood staining her clothes with a mocking glint. The bed caught his eye, the blood smeared across the pillow case making his eyebrows rise. "I'm pleased that you're settling in."

Sakura didn't bother to respond to that comment and instead moved towards the door. Kabuto turned without another word and lead her down the hallway. After a couple of turns, they came to a large door that Kabuto opened and motioned for her to go into.

The door closed behind her with a loud bang, startling her. On the other side of the wall she could feel his chakra presence, but other than that, she was alone in the large, circular room.

Everything was made of stone in the room, the surface smoothened out and polished to leave a gleaming reflection of the rest of the room. Sakura was surprised to find a long row of showers on the far side of the room, the walls and floor made of a white stone.

Sakura wasn't sure what would happen if she stripped and showered. But after a couple of minutes of standing there and observing the door, she deemed it safe. She remained in the shower only long enough to wash the blood and dirt off and then got out and dressed quickly.

Her wounds stung as her clothing rubbed against it. She contemplated on whether to heal them or not, but decided to save her chakra for more useful purposes. Escaping came to her mind first while hitting Sasuke came to her immediately after.

The stone was cool under her feet as she slipped on her shoes and headed for the door. On the other side, Kabuto was waiting for her patiently. When the door opened, he turned to her and smiled.

"You look much better," he commented, leading her down the hallway.

Sakura followed a few steps behind him, analyzing the way he moved to find any flaws. Even if he had a slight limp, or one shoulder was slightly lower than the other, she'd find a way to use that against him. She wasn't a medic nin for nothing.

Her eyes narrowed in disappointment when she didn't find any weak spots. His physique was perfect as far as she could see and she wished that she could analyze the inside of him. She doubted he was as perfect on the inside.

A scream came out of nowhere and echoed down the hallway. The hair on Sakura's arms stood up painfully, making her stop in her tracks.

"That must be Sasuke," Kabuto said more to himself than to Sakura. "I wonder how he's doing."

Without saying anything else, Kabuto started down the hallway and turned a corner that lead them away from Sasuke's room. Another scream made Sakura flinch, the raw pain making her stomach clench nauseatingly. She hesitated in following Kabuto but he called out to her a second later and she realized that she didn't have much of a choice.

Before she could understand what was happening, they were in front of a doorway that Sakura knew wasn't Sasuke's bedroom door. The scream that echoed from behind it made Sakura stumble backwards and hit the opposite wall.

Moaning could be heard from the other side of the door, long and drawn out before quieting into a whimper.

"Please, I don't know anything." The voice cracked as it rose in volume, panic laced with fear and pain. "Please, I'm telling you the truth!"

Kabuto scoffed as he opened the door, grabbing Sakura's wrist and pulling her inside the room before she could turn and flee. The door shut quickly behind them, trapping Sakura in the room. She swallowed thickly, willing her heart to stop trying to beat out of her chest.

Sakura's stomach heaved at the smell of blood that immediately reached her. It filled her lungs like water, threatening to drown her in it. She'd been around large amounts of blood before, both in the operating room and on missions, but this was beyond any horror she'd ever encountered. He was being _tortured_, an act that Sakura strongly believed against.

The man moaned in dread as his eyes landed on Kabuto, his shoulders slumping as he prepared for more pain or the loss of another limb. There was no hope that Kabuto would heal the man and all of them knew it.

Sakura inhaled sharply as she felt the tortured man's eyes settle on her, a pleading noise coming from his throat as blood and sweat ran into his eyes.

"You…" the man paused, his voice shaking with repressed hope. "Are you here to save me?"

A sob worked its way up Sakura's throat and she bit her lip to hold it in. A memory surfaced unwillingly in Sakura's mind, making her flinch, as the man continued to plead with her. Save him, heal him, end his pain, _anything_ to end this hell of his.

_Sakura stared, wide eyed, at the man before her on the operating room table. His flesh was burned, parts of it gone and revealing the bone and muscle underneath. The man's right shoulder was twisted at an odd angle, his hand mangled and one of the fingers nearly severed off. The skin around his lips was taunt with pain and his skin was turning paler by the minute. His brown eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling and his lips moved as though he were praying._

_At nineteen, Sakura wouldn't have thought it possible to see something so gruesome. The horror this man had gone through could only be from an explosion or trap, never could a human do something this horrible to another human._

_Next to her, Tsunade sighed and repeated, "Sakura, he needs medical attention _now. _There is no time for shock."_

"_What did this to him?" Pushing aside the shock, Sakura accessed the damage that had been done to this man, this poor man. "Was it an explosion? S-rank mission?"_

_The man groaned as Sakura started to heal him with glowing green hands. Tsunade stared at her prized pupil proudly before her own hands started to glow and she helped Sakura. They were both silent for a while as they concentrated, trying to heal the important wounds like the punctured lung, shattered bones, and swelling brain. The hand and shoulder were healed next, along with the broken bones._

_Nurses rushed around the room, following Sakura's directions. Sweat dotted her upper lip and forehead and she swiped at it with the back of her gloved hand._

"_I need the rubbing alcohol!" Sakura demanded as she pressed a sponge to the man's bleeding wound. "And where are those bandages? He's bleeding to death, come on guys!"_

_Tsunade grabbed bandages from the nurse and handed them to Sakura when she held out a hand for them. Sakura's brows creased in concentration as the man continued to bleed out, her lower lip finding its way between her teeth._

_The man's lips stopped moving as he turned his head towards Sakura, his eyes unseeingly looking at her. _

"_I…don't know a-anything," the man moaned lowly, his voice slurring as blood seeped from the corner of his lips. His eyes focused on her and they dulled as he stared at her pleadingly. "I sw…ear."_

_Sakura flinched as the man's pulse disappeared, his eyes hazed for eternity as his body slumped and his head flopped to the side. With a startled cry, Sakura pumped chakra into his chest, refusing to let his heart stop beating._

_The next thing she knew, Tsunade was pulling her away from the placid body and out the door. People stared as Sakura slumped in Tsunade's grip, her eyes listless as she stared at the closed operating room door._

"_I let him die," Sakura whispered with trembling lips. "It was my job to save him and I didn't."_

"_Sakura, he deserved to die," Tsunade admitted, letting go of Sakura and watching her slide down the wall, her bloody gloved covered hands resting against her knees numbly._

_At Tsunade's words, Sakura's green eyes snapped to hers and turned a dark shade of green, fury settling on her face._

"_What do you mean 'he deserved to die'?" Sakura said, her voice rising accusingly. "It's our job to _save _people, whether they deserve to die or not! There is someone out there that is going to miss him, going to cry because he's dead, and it's all because we let him die on our table when we should have helped him live."_

_Tsunade exhaled heavily through her nose, debating whether Sakura had the heart to hear what she was about to say. Looking down at her pupil, she decided that Sakura did, that she was strong enough._

"_He was a criminal Sakura. Those injuries were from being tortured to gain information." Tsunade watched Sakura's face carefully for a moment before continuing, "He was lying, he did know something and he took that knowledge with him to the grave."_

_It took Sakura a moment to find her voice and when she did, it was barely above a whisper. "We can revive him."_

_Tsunade's face darkened as she crouched before Sakura. "I didn't teach you that forbidden jutsu so that you could use it on criminals Sakura. Even if we brought him back, he still wouldn't tell us anything. Even on his death bed he wouldn't."_

_All the anger that Sakura had been feeling slowly dissipated as she stood, her legs shaking slightly. It took a great amount of effort to take off her gloves without crying. It upset her that she'd let someone die, even if they were a criminal. The fact that she was upset over letting a criminal die made her mentally chastise herself for being so weak hearted._

_Seeing the look on Sakura's face, Tsunade grabbed her shoulders softly and looked her in the eye seriously. "Don't be upset for letting someone, even if it's a criminal, die on the operating table. You're not weak or emotional. You're strong because you tried to save him and even after you found out he was a criminal, you still had sympathy for him. It's okay to have sympathy for the dying."_

_Sakura nodded without a word and headed down the hall. People moved out of her way and stared as she walked by, her eyes trained ahead of her. They took in the blood smeared on her cheek and forearms, the blood on her clothes, and the bloody gloves in her hand. _

_After the door was closed to her office and the gloves disposed of, Sakura sank into her desk chair and stared at the top of the desk as the scene of the man on the operating table replayed in her mind over and over again. As the tears spilled down her cheeks, turning from clear to pink, Sakura felt disgust for whoever had tortured that man roll over her. _

_They're a monster, whoever did that to that man, Sakura thought. No one deserves to go through what that man went through. No one, no matter how bad they are._

Sakura flinched when she sensed the man try to drag himself towards her, the bone sticking out of his leg scraping against the floor and causing him to whimper in excruciating pain.

"She'll heal you if you tell me what you know," Sasuke offered quietly, his katana dripping blood. Kabuto rolled his eyes but pushed Sakura forward, towards the man.

She stumbled but managed to regain her balance as her breathing picked up, sweat running down her back. Her gut told her that Sasuke was lying, and that made it all the harder to stand there with the knowledge that this man was going to die.

The man froze, his eyes moving between Sakura and Sasuke wildly, his lips parting as though he wanted to say something. Then he shook his head and continued towards Sakura.

Horror froze Sakura as she tried to move away. She wanted to help him, more than anything else in the world, but the spike in Sasuke's chakra told her that it was too late.

But Sakura still believed in hope.

Sasuke stepped forward, his katana rising slowly from his side as a sneer of disappointment came to his face. Sakura inhaled sharply, her heart beating in her throat as she also stepped forward, swallowing thickly.

In a flash, Sasuke was behind the man. Without thinking about the consequences, Sakura stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, halting the movement of his katana. The man cried out as the tip of the katana slowly lowered towards him, his body immobilized with the fear of dying.

With a grunt, Sakura channeled chakra into her fist and squeezed Sasuke's wrist. The satisfying crunch of bone calmed Sakura slightly, reminding her of her skill as a medic nin and a jounin. Her shoulders stiffened as Sasuke's aura turned deadly, but she refused to back down.

"Get your fucking hand off my wrist Sakura," Sasuke warned, his voice surprisingly emotionless for someone who'd just had their wrist crushed, but Sakura could sense the strain in his voice as his face paled slightly.

"No, you're going to kill him if I do." Sakura kept her grip firm even as her chakra started to ebb away.

The man slumped against the ground as Sasuke raised his katana away from him. Without blinking, Sasuke wrapped his hand around Sakura's neck and pulled her closer until their faces were inches apart.

"You're here to heal, Sakura, not be a saint," Sasuke growled as Sakura clutched his other wrist with her other hand.

"Let go or you'll have another broken wrist," Sakura warned as she started to apply pressure to that wrist also. Her chakra reached an alarming low level but she continued to squeeze his wrist, her courage and hard headedness not letting her back down.

"Tch." Sakura stumbled backwards, her hands coming up to rub her neck. He hadn't applied too much pressure, just enough to try and scare her, but it wasn't death that scared her. The fact that Sasuke was willing to choke her to death caused a hatred inside of her to harden and come to the surface.

As she stood there and listened to Kabuto heal Sasuke's wrists, a small part of her, a very miniscule part that she wished she could ignore, told her that he could have choked her just then but he hadn't. He had every reason to kill her, but he'd held himself back.

Kabuto approached the door and glanced back at Sakura when she didn't follow. "I think it's time you go back to Sasuke's room."

The urge to tell Kabuto that she wanted to go back to _Konoha _and not back to Sasuke's room was unbearable. Something inside of her broke at the thought. She may have had the courage to stand up to Sasuke, but that didn't change where she was or why she was there.

Another thought came involuntarily to her. Whether she healed Orochimaru or not, she might be the next to feel the blade of Sasuke's katana cutting into her skin with the intention of killing her. For a brief moment, Sakura wondered if she had the strength to stop him.

Straightening her spine with a newfound determination, Sakura followed Kabuto out of the room. She tried to ignore the pleading of the man for her to come back and the goosebumps that rose once again on her arms.

The coldness spread inside of her, steeling her for whatever Sasuke decided to do next. For all she knew, he could torture her like he did that man until he got what he wanted from her. She was a pawn in this game of his, a tool to reach his goals, and she knew that he was willing to do anything to complete those goals.

All the way down the hall Sakura could hear the man pleading, begging her to come back, begging her to heal him, but mostly, begging Sasuke to spare his life. But oddly enough, Sakura didn't hear the screams that should have continued along with the torture or the thud of a body falling as death settled into the body.

And with just one small action, Sasuke had rendered her into a kaleidoscope of different emotions and thoughts, each one confusing her as to who Sasuke was and what he might do next.

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It's been a while for this story. But it hasn't been forever! Go optomism. Thanks for reading and hanging in there, I know it can be annoying to wait for a story to update.


	8. Confusing Discoveries

So I'm hoping to finish up this story too by the end of the summer. I don't think it's going to happen, same with Sangreal, but I'm going to try. Don't worry, when I finish these stories I'll have other stories to write! Yay.**  
**

**No Longer Weak**

_Confusing Discoveries_

_The stone floor dug into her naked shoulders, scraping against her spine before it arched off the ground. Her brows creased as she tried to restrain herself. This was wrong, so wrong it left a bitter taste in the back of her mouth._

_His fingers lingered on her hip bones before moving up her sides, over her ribs, the sides of her breasts, and burying themselves in her pink locks. They tugged, harder and harder until her head was tilted back and she was staring into his obsidian eyes. They shone with a maddening lust as they roamed her face, her neck, and her collarbone with intent._

_His lips curved into a smirk, a victorious one that made Sakura's eyes flutter with barely contained restraint._

"_Get off," she moaned as his fingers moved back down her body, digging into her hips as they rose to meet his roughly. Instead of doing as she asked, he clutched her closer, one arm snaking around her bare back to hold her firmly against him. It was maddening, this feeling of desire that settled in the back of her mouth, sweet with a bitter aftertaste._

"_Don't deny it," he rasped as his hips moved against hers harshly, making her head fall back against the stone floor with a harsh crack.._

_Her hands rose to push his descending mouth away from her body but they couldn't reach him. The shackles around her wrists clinked as her struggles became stronger, more forced._

"_Stop," he groaned, washing out her pleading voice. She tried to push him off of her again, but her hands were jerked back towards the ground, bruising her wrists._

_Blunt nails dragged down her thighs and hooked around her knees, pulling her legs around his hips. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her mouth as he trust into her suddenly, her insides screaming for him to continue and to stop at the same time._

_Sakura's head fell to the side in surrender as his mouth found her neck, his teeth scraping against her jaw before descending. She tried to find her voice but it fizzled out as her lips formed the words._

_With her toes curling in unimaginable pleasure, Sakura tried to focus on anything other than what her traitorous body was feeling. Her arms lifted in an attempt to pull him closer, but they were once again hindered._

_Sakura's skin erupted into goosebumps as something slithered up her leg. It was hard to ignore when her senses were heightened, exploding with each thrust and nip of his teeth. She wished it was a figment of her imagination, playing dirty tricks on her because she was here and, dammit, she was enjoying it._

_The snake slithered higher, moving over her stomach and between her breasts, stopping at her collarbone. Its tongue slithered out and she could feel it barely touching her neck but she wasn't afraid. She hoped it was poisonous and would bite her. Hopefully her death would only take minutes. Then she wouldn't have to live with the dirty feeling of knowing what she'd done, what she'd allowed him to do to her._

_It moved again, coiling around her neck, loose at first._

_There was a tingle in her abdomen, spreading throughout her body until she could feel it at her fingertips that lay next to her face. It was a weird sensation, new and addicting to her, mixing with the pain of her back and pleasure of what he was doing to her._

_The snake was coiling tighter, cutting off her air supply. Its head rested under her upturned chin, its razor sharp fangs suddenly tearing through the skin of her shoulder with a searing pain._

_Sakura screamed, her vocal chords vibrating around the stone prison in agony and release._

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Reality blurred at the edges of Sakura's mind and she felt the extreme urge to retch as her hands found her neck. There wasn't any pain, just the mental images of her dream as it settled in her mind like a bad aftertaste in the back of her mouth.

Swallowing thickly and grimacing when she found her mouth dry, Sakura sat up and was relieved to find Sasuke nowhere in sight. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to handle seeing him after the dream she'd just had.

The room felt stuffy, clawing at Sakura's skin and making her sweat. She didn't want to be here, in this room contaminated with Sasuke's existence. She got up and stumbled to the door, pressing on it and bracing herself against the door jam as the door opened easily.

The fresh air of the hallway brushed against Sakura's skin, her lungs no longer constricted as she inhaled it like her life depended on it. Mentally she forced her steps into the directions of the bathroom. With each step she felt her strength returning and she let her hand drop from the wall, her steps sure and steady.

A Sound-nin turned the corner, faltering in his steps at what Sakura presumed was the sight of herself. She expected him to pull out a kunai and demand she go back to Sasuke's room, but he did the opposite, moving closer to the opposite wall to allow her room as he passed by. She could sense the nervous energy coming off of him.

By the time Sakura reached the bathroom, she had encountered multiple Sound-nin whom had treated her like a disease, each one skirting around her, some with their shoulders smashed into the wall to increase his distance.

Sakura went to tap the bathroom door (she really missed actual doors that swung open and closed) when it swung open under her fingertips. Juugo stood before her, his body radiating heat from the shower he'd just taken.

"Sorry…" Sakura trailed off, unsure what to say to him. While he seemed nice and almost trusting, anyone who was a Sound-nin (especially Sasuke) was an enemy to her.

"It's okay," he said quietly, stepping out of the doorway and to the side, giving Sakura room to get into the bathroom.

Sakura was about to close the door when she spun around and called out softly to Juugo's retreating back, "Do you know why everyone is suddenly afraid of me?"

Juugo turned sideways to address her, his voice equally soft. Sakura secretly wondered how someone who could destroy a whole village uncontrollably could seem so innocent and harmless on the outside.

"Sasuke has made sure you go unharmed here," Juugo informed Sakura with an emotionless face. "Anyone who even thinks of defying his commands will be killed on the spot."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond but couldn't think of anything to say. She nodded and closed the door, her lips still parted as she stood there. The chakra signature of Juugo didn't move either at first until it slowly moved away. Power cracked along the edges of his chakra, making Sakura shiver. The raw power was deadly and she made a mental note to never be caught off guard by him.

His words echoed in her head, making her clenched her teeth in anger. She hated that he was so unpredictable, one moment not caring and the next making sure she was safe. His protection was the last thing she needed, not when he was the one whom had brought her here in the first place, endangering her even more.

With that final thought on the matter, Sakura started the shower and slipped in, the warm water soothing her muscles even as her mind remained alert and her body ready for any attack. If Sasuke thought she was in danger here then she wasn't dropping her guard for even a millisecond.

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When Sakura opened the bathroom door, she wasn't surprised to find Karin standing there with a flaring chakra. She hadn't tried to hide her chakra when she'd approached the door and Sakura wondered if she even could but decided it wasn't relevant.

Not really sure what to say, Sakura tried to slide past Karin, not surprised when Karin's arm shot out and blocked her way.

"Sasuke told me to come get you," Karin muttered angrily through her clenched teeth. Sakura could feel the glare Karin had aimed at the spot over her shoulder. She wondered if there was a hole in the wall yet from Karin's murderous look.

"For what?" Sakura questioned, forcing herself to not shove Karin's arm out of the way with more force than was needed. Her intention wasn't to break Karin's arm or to start something, not when she was in enemy territory.

"Go and find out for yourself."

"No thanks," Sakura replied as she shoved Karin's arm out of the way. She heard a _pop _noise and Karin's screech but she didn't stop walking. Behind her, Karin fell back against the wall with a thud, her hand clutching at her shoulder. "I'd get that checked out if I were you, it was almost too easy to push it out of the socket when it shouldn't have been."

Karin yelled insults at Sakura's back, the words echoing down the hall even as Sakura turned the corner. Instead of heading back to Sasuke's room, Sakura went in the opposite direction. She might as well explore the base before Sasuke found her and verbally tore off her head.

Sakura scoffed at the thought. It was funny how she'd always wanted to talk to him when they were younger and now all she wanted was for him to become permanently mute. Even as she thought that, her heart throbbed. She knew it was a lie, wanting him to be mute, but she was sick of these feelings for him, of not being able to fully hate him even when she had every right to.

With a sigh, Sakura was about to head back to Sasuke's room and face the inevitable when she felt a weak chakra force nearby. Following it, Sakura descended into a familiar room that had wooden doors, doors that lead into rooms with chains for prisoners.

When she opened the door, Sakura wasn't prepared for the repugnant smell that greeted her as the man in the middle hung between life and death. His chakra was familiar and brought back the memory of his torture as he begged her for save him.

Sakura didn't hesitate when she dropped to her knees in front of him, her hands resting on his bloody and shuttering chest as they searched for the deadliest injuries. She bypassed torn muscles and a skin wounds and started healing the punctured lung, broken ribs, and deep gash that was muscle deep and ran down the side of his chest.

Slowly Sakura could feel her chakra levels depleting, making her light headed. Gritting her teeth at how useless she felt, she shrugged off Sasuke's shirt and tore the arm off. She settled her leg over the man's thigh, her left hand holding his ankle, and she pushed his bone back under the skin, setting it in place.

Nails tore down Sakura's back, over and over again as she tied the cloth around his leg to keep the bone in place. Silently she apologized for the pain, knowing it would have been half as painful if she had enough chakra to heal it.

With her back slowly becoming more painful, Sakura continue to heal the man until she was sure he wouldn't die overnight.

A hand grabbed her wrist right as she was about to get up.

"You saved my life," the man rasped dryly, his bony fingers digging into her skin. She wondered when he'd eaten last and decided when she found Sasuke that she'd demand the man be fed.

"He would have killed me," the man continued, his voice breaking and fading. "Then you came…"

Sakura's brows drew together in confusion. She hardly doubted she could influence Sasuke like that. She tried to get up but her legs collapsed under her, her body too tired. Shivering at how frigid the air suddenly felt, Sakura crawled over to the wall and leaned back against it. Her eyelids felt heavy but she knew that she shouldn't.

With drowsiness settling in, Sakura decided she'd let herself rest for a couple of minutes before she got up and headed back to Sasuke's room.

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The world swayed before Sakura's eyes as she slowly woke up. With a muddled mind, she realized she was moving or at least, her head was.

Strong arms shifted Sakura around into a more comfortable position and she suddenly felt the warm body against her side, the jarring steps that made her head move on its arched neck. With some effort, Sakura lifted her head and grimaced at the soreness and lightheadedness.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked hesitantly, sorely wishing she had a katana to slice his jugular with. How easy it would be to deal the fatal shot.

"Bringing you back to the room," Sasuke answered without looking down, his eyes trained ahead. He ignored everyone he passed.

"Why not just leave me in the dungeons," Sakura replied harshly, "I am a prisoner after all. What makes me so special?"

"You have what I need—"

"And he doesn't? So you're killing people for fun now?" Sakura mocked. "I didn't know you were the kind to stray from your goals."

Sasuke scoffed and stopped. He set her feet on the ground and she stood, her legs so weak that she had to support herself with a hand on the wall.

"Since when do you care about my goals?" Sasuke stood in front of her, his eyes narrowed at her.

"When they endanger my village, I care very much about them. You won't endanger Konoha when it'll be for nothing." Sakura started down the hall without another word.

Sasuke stepped forward and grabbed her arm, his fingers tight, but Sakura didn't flinch. It reminded her of who Sasuke had become, of the monster he had welcomed all for the sake of revenge.

"You're so naïve Sakura. Everything I've been doing has a purpose, you're just too foolish to see it."

Sakura scoffed and yanked her arm free, not surprised when Sasuke didn't resist. She continued walking as she spoke over her shoulder at him, "Those who look for revenge end up nowhere Sasuke."

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Sakura sat on the windowsill for a long time, her mind spinning with thought after thought. She hated sitting still for long periods of time because it always gave her mind a chance to catch up and analyze everything.

With a sigh she got to her feet and headed for the door. For a moment she stood there, contemplating on whether she should even bother or not before she went to open the door. It slid open easily under her palms, surprising Sakura. She walked out of the room quickly without hesitation, afraid the chance of slight freedom might disappear.

Sasuke's chakra was nowhere near her and she was relieved, glad to have a chance to be alone and just walk. Lately it felt like every time she turned the corner he was there which she didn't doubt for a second considering she had attempted multiple escapes already.

It felt different to leave Sasuke's room this time. She wasn't planning an escape or looking for trouble, she was just trying to find something to do, as odd as that sounded. She had to bide her time and wait until the perfect moment which was taking way longer than she had expected, to the point where she was just plain bored. It didn't even feel like she was being held captive by her enemies, it just felt like she was a little kid grounded from playing with her friends for the day.

The thought of a five year old Ino's facial expression when her mother told her Sakura couldn't play that day brought a smile to Sakura's face. She missed Ino, along with the rest of the gang, including Naruto. Sakura swallowed at that thought, her throat suddenly filled with tears threatening to break free. It had been a while since she had cried and she refused to break the streak now. Sasuke wouldn't be seeing any weakness from her.

After turning a couple of corners and walking through some hallways and going down some staircases, Sakura found herself outside. She half expected alarms to go off and for someone to come at her with a kunai, but her surroundings remained quiet. That is until a shuriken came close to slicing off a good three inches of her hair had she not moved out of the way.

"Sorry 'bout that," Suigetsu apologized as he ran past her. A kunai buried itself in his back and he dissolved into a small puddle of water, the kunai falling to the ground with the droplets of water, creating the sound of rain.

Sakura stood there and felt for the other person's chakra. Juugo's blazed to her right, just beyond the tree line of the clearing. Ducking when a branch came flying at her, intended for Suigetsu as he ran by again, she realized she had just walked into one of the many training grounds and right into the middle of a sparring match.

"Might if I join?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. The appeal of a spar was too much. It was that or keep walking until Sasuke decided to hunt her down and lock her back in the room.

Out of nowhere three kunai flew at her, aimed at her throat. Dodging them easily, Sakura grabbed them from the ground and disappeared into the forest. Closing her eyes, she crouched on a branch high up and felt for Juugo and Suigetsu. Not surprised when she found Suigetsu near a small pond, she searched farther for Juugo. He couldn't be found anywhere and Sakura headed off for the pond, deciding she would deal with Suigetsu first.

Landing a few feet from the pond, Sakura searched for Suigetsu. Although his chakra was still there, he wasn't in the clearing. Crouched down, she felt the water's surface with her fingertips.

A hand reached out and tried to snatch Sakura's wrist, but she rolled backwards over her shoulder onto her feet and disappeared into the trees. Slowly, the water in the center of the pond morphed, growing taller and more defined until Suigetsu stood there, an amused smirk on his face.

"Karin always falls for that one," he called out to Sakura, his eyes roaming the trees for any sign of pink. "But you're reflexes are faster than hers. I don't normally compliment the enemy, but I'm impressed."

"You've made the mistake of thinking I'm a weakling," Sakura said as she came out from behind a tree. From behind other trees her clones came out, each one speaking in sync with her like a thousand chirping birds.

Suigetsu glanced around and his hands rose, the water rising higher as his hands rose. It lapped over the edge of the pond and jabbed at the Sakura clones as they came at him with kunai. As the water stabbed each clone, they disappeared in puffs of smoke, making the clearing clouded.

Sakura ran at Suigetsu, ignoring the pain of the ice cold water as it soaked her front and burned her bare skin. She threw one of the three kunai she had, not surprised when Suigetsu dodged it easily. His chakra spiked, signaling he was using it to turn his body into water again, and Sakura pulled out her remaining kunai.

The kunai crackled with electricity, humming low against Sakura's palms. Ignoring the way the water was numbing her skin the more it hit her, she flew at Suigetsu and buried one kunai in each shoulder, relishing in the startled grunt he emitted.

Suigetsu's body continued to turn to liquid unwillingly and with each passing second the electricity covered more of his body, intertwining with his skin and sinking deep into him as his organs turned to water and absorbed the electricity.

"Lightning," Suigetsu gasped as he slowly fell beneath the pond's surface like a shipwreck. "I'm impressed."

Sakura didn't smile at his compliment. She knew he had underestimated her from the very beginning and even after she had first defeated him, he had still seen her as a weak opponent. After his second defeat, she knew he was seeing her in a different light now, knowing that the first time wasn't just a joke karma was playing. Her skills were real and they were deadly and he would think twice the next time he thought it was just luck that she managed to land a hit on him.

A piece of hair fell in her face and she reached up, pushing it behind her ear. Suddenly, a small piece of wire wrapped around her wrist, wrenching her backwards. Rocks and branches scraped at her back as she was dragged along the ground into the forest. Summoning chakra into her hand, she reached up and snapped the wire, feeling the instant relief in her wrist. Blood welled around the wire, soaking the edge of her black glove, but the throbbing pain was unimportant as Sakura searched for the opponent's chakra.

The chakra Sakura found was not Juugo's. It was dark, curling like black smoke around him as he came closer. A katana slid to a stop in front of Sakura and she picked it up. She noted disappointingly that it wasn't her katana, but knew it was better than being forced to fight him in hand-to-hand combat.

Sasuke appeared above Sakura, perched on a tree with his katana in his hand.

"I defeated Juugo, you defeated Suigetsu," Sasuke said with a small smirk of amusement. "It's just you and me now."

"How unfortunate for you," Sakura countered with her own smirk before she blurred and was gone, leaving Sasuke to hunt her down. She had chased him for years, first as a part of Team Seven, and then as a hopeless fool who had wanted to bring him back. Now, she was done seeking him out. It was his turn to see how it felt, even if just for a simple spar with two deadly opponents.

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So, I'm am currently obsessed with Draco and Hermione AGAIN after seeing the last Harry Potter movie. Is anyone else both extremely sad that it's over, but glad at how epic the finale was? Talk about contradicting emotions, huh?

Thank you for reading my story and for being patient. This has been sitting in a folder waiting to be finished for a while and I'm finally getting around to it, but everyone waited for it and didn't pressure me and I'm grateful for that.


	9. Common Enemies

**No Longer Weak**

_Common Enemies_

The kunai sliced through the air, embedding in Sakura's neck with a sickening squelch. She fell from her perch high up on a tree branch and landed on a blanket of fallen leaves and branches. Blood poured from her neck and she raised both hands, her fingers seeking the kunai and trying to stop the blood. With such a deadly wound, she would be lucky if she lasted two minutes before bleeding out.

Sasuke walked up and stood over her, his shadow covering her face and upper body, making the blood appear darker as it stained her shirt.

Sakura's eyes glazed over as she tried to speak, her lips going numb as death set in. Her head fell to the side, limp, and then her body disappeared in a puff of smoke. The kunai dropped to the ground uselessly.

"Bet you've been waiting a long time to do that, huh?" Sakura taunted from eight different directions. There was a smirk on her face, which melted into a serious line as Sasuke fell into a patient, spar ready stance. All eight replicas of her fell into different battle ready positions, making it impossible to tell which was the real Sakura.

Sasuke remained silent besides a quiet scoff at her words. He pulled out two kunai from a hidden compartment in his clothes, but Sakura wasn't concerned with being weaponless. She had watched him with her clones and knew she was slightly faster than him in dodging, her body more nimble and flexible than his. For once being a woman one-upped being a man.

All eight Sakura's attacked at once, descending on him like bees going for the last flower on the planet. Sasuke hacked and slashed, dodging fists and legs aimed for his face and vital areas.

The real Sakura swooped in, allowing Sasuke to slice her in the shoulder. It was a mere surface wound and it barely hurt. She reached for his katana strapped to his lower back, her fingers wrapping around the hilt and yanking on it. It felt different in her hand, heavier than her own, and the hilt was rougher and thicker. There were small worn spots from usage, like her own. Tsunade had once told her that the more worn the weapon, the more deadly the wielder.

With the katana in hand, Sakura stepped backwards, trying to gain distance so she could prepare her next attack.

Sasuke looked back when she didn't disappear in a cloud of smoke with a momentary look of shock before his eyes narrowed. He followed her step for step, his steps twice the size of hers because of their height difference.

Sakura raised the katana to deflect a kunai as he attempted to slash her down the front. She could feel the air from the deadly metal and the hair on her arms rose as adrenaline pumped through her.

With a small exhale of frustration, Sasuke came in for another swipe with the kunai. He missed her as she sidestepped his attack and ducked under his arm as it arced back in an attempt to catch her off guard. She caught the back of his calf slightly with the katana and rolled backwards when he tried to kick her.

The surrounding forest echoed with the clash of weapons and grunts as Sakura and Sasuke continued to spar, landing small hits here and there, but nothing worth needing medical attention.

The back of Sakura's hand caught Sasuke in the cheek and his fingers wrapped around her wrist tightly, threatening to crush the bones. He swung her against a tree, effectively caging her against the bark to prevent her from dodging any more of his attacks.

With less than a second to react, Sakura raised the katana just as Sasuke leaned closer. The edge of the katana, sharp and deadly, nicked Sasuke's skin as it pressed against his jugular. Barely breathing, she could feel the tip of a kunai poised just above her heart. It pricked her skin through her top and with one push it would easily break through her skin and pierce her heart. She fought the urge to shrink back in an effort to escape, knowing the bark wouldn't yield nor would Sasuke's body if she tried to go forward.

Sakura knew deep down he wouldn't stab her even though the opportunity was in his hands. He had had multiple chances to kill her and had taken none of them. The thought confused her, but part of her wanted to chalk it up to history even though she knew better. Sasuke didn't care about Team Seven anymore. All he cared about was his goals and she was a mere tool in completing them.

The thought almost drove Sakura to slice his neck open and let him bleed out. There was no doubt that he would stab her in return, but her death would be a small price for the death of one of the most dangerous missing nins. His head had a big enough price on it as it was and as far as she knew, she was the closest who had come to killing him. At that moment, she had so far passed every other nin's efforts she couldn't believe it, but the blood running down the blade of the katana and the iron tinged smell that reached Sakura's nose brought her back to reality.

"If you're going to take my head off, I'd suggest you do it now," Sasuke informed her with a small smirk.

Sakura smiled and shook her head as she mused, "As much as I would love to, I kind of need you."

"If you're going to convert back to your fangirl ways then there isn't any hope for you," Sasuke warned as he pushed away from her. He wiped the blood from his neck and used a small amount of chakra to heal the cut.

With a snort, Sakura pushed away from the tree. "Never again. I need you because we've got company and they don't feel friendly."

Sasuke held out his hand for his katana. Reluctantly, she placed the hilt in his hand and then turned towards where the pond was.

"I've got an idea," she decided after a moment of silence. "But you'll need to hide. They'll run the second they realize you're near."

Sasuke nodded and disappeared up into a tree, following her from above as she swiftly moved around the trees towards the pond she had been fighting at earlier with Suigetsu. She could feel a small swell of chakra from Sasuke, but she had to concentrate hard to locate it and doubted the nin would be able to sense him.

Sakura reached the pond and a second later the nin raced into the clearing on the other side.

"Halt," one of the nin commanded in a deep voice, kunai ready in his hand. "Who are you?"

With a sigh, Sakura crouched down to feel the surface of the pond. "And here I thought I was the only one with pink hair. You know who I am, but who are you?"

"We are from the Sand Village of Sunagakure," the nin informed her and stepped forward, daring her to try and defy him. "And why should we believe you're Sakura Haruno? We've come across many nin who were not who they said they were."

"Who are you looking for?" Sakura asked, knowing she was crossing the line by asking such a personal question. She had to reassure that they knew who she was so when they escaped—something she would make sure of, even just one of them—Konoha would know her location.

"That's none of your—"

"If you're looking for a Sakura Haruno, you've found her," Sakura cut him off, her head lifting so she faced him. Her hands dipped below the surface of the water, cupping the liquid in her hands. "If you want to live, run."

The nin chuckled, the sound low and rumbling like thunder, and then glanced behind him at his team. As one, all fifteen of them advanced across the surface of the pond towards her.

"If you were the real Sakura Haruno you would have a seal to prove it and would have shown us it by now," the nin yelled as he came closer. "But you don't so you must be an imposter!"

Sakura winced and lifted her hands out of the pond. Water dripped between her fingers and she chucked the water at the Sand nin. The water hardened into small ice daggers, as hard and sharp as a kunai. Time seemed to stop as they flew through the air towards the nin, some missing their targets, others reflected with kunai, a few piercing flesh with a sickening thud.

A kunai barely missed Sakura's neck and she rolled to the side, dashing into the forest for cover as metal flew by her with deadly speed. She ducked as a kunai whizzed by her and yanked it out of the bark of a tree. With a spin, she sent it back in the direction it had come and heard the grunt of pain as a nin fell from a tree behind her and hit the ground.

The leader of the group dropped in front of her. She slid to a stop and ducked behind a tree as he threw kunai after kunai at her. And then it stopped and the forest was so quiet she could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

Breathing deeply to calm herself, Sakura reached out and searched for the nin. With a small gasp, she jumped out of the way as the nin dropped from the branches over her, his kunai arcing through the air as he attempted to stab her in the face.

He aimed a kunai at her neck and she sidestepped it. Her foot caught on a branch hidden beneath the leaves and the second kunai aimed at her heart caught her in the shoulder as she fell behind a tree.

She could hear him as he moved closer, slowly making each step as though to tell her there was nowhere to run because he was ready for her. Closing her eyes, she focused on his chakra and felt him to the left. Without a single utterance of pain, she pulled the kunai from her shoulder and pivoted on her foot, appearing from behind the tree for a split second and letting the kunai fly in a flash of silver and death.

The nin stumbled backwards as he clutched at his neck. Blood streamed from the corner of his lips and burst forth from between his teeth as he attempted to talk. It came out more like a gurgle, wet and desperate.

With one final inhale, pained and short, the nin fell backwards and lay still. Another slid behind her, his kunai aimed at the back of her neck. She spun, yanking on the nin's wrist and flipping her over her shoulder. Holding her wrist captive, she aimed the kunai in her hand at his neck, the tip digging into her skin.

"I don't want to kill you too," Sakura warned in a low voice. "Please, tell someone, _anyone_ where I am. I stand no chance of escaping while Sasuke Uchiha is near, but I'm alive and trying."

The nin looked hesitant before she released her wrist. She stepped back, as nin replied in a soft voice, "I'll do my best, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura nodded and turned her back to the girl. "Go before he finds you."

The nin jumped into the trees and was gone. Sakura prayed the girl would run fast enough and that she would get the message to someone high up who could get it to Konoha.

Sakura felt for Sasuke's chakra and headed off, keeping the little detail of the escaped nin to herself. She wondered how long it would take him to figure out that there were fourteen dead bodies instead of fifteen. Hopefully long enough for the girl to be far enough away.

When she found Sasuke, he was finishing off the last of the group. She could smell the blood as it perfumed the air sourly and all she wanted to do was get away from it. Being a healer nin, she was immune to blood, but blood that shouldn't have been spilled in the first place always made her stomach coil in disgust and sadness.

On silent feet Sakura lifted a kunai from a dead body's neck, the blood dripping from it still warm. She caught a nin by surprise as he advanced on Sasuke and got the nin in the back of the skull. Another approached, raising a leg to kick her in the face, but she got him in the thigh before he could get close. He fell to one knee, pulling the kunai out of his flesh, but by the time he looked up her fist was an inch from his face. He flew backwards, all of the bones broken in his face.

Sasuke approached her, taking off the head of a nin behind her. She spins in a circle slowly, searching for any nin left. The air smells of iron, coating her lungs and throat with it.

"I think it's time we move bases."

Sakura turns to him. "I think I'm just going to stay here, you know, for sentimental reasons." She waved her hands. "But you guys go ahead. Don't want to hold you back or anything."

He rolled his eyes, stooping down to wipe his katana on the grass then sheathing it.

"You're coming with us," he told her, smirking when she pouted. His eyes lingered on her lips, noting how red they are from her biting them, red like the blood staining the grass. "It's time we go to Orochimaru's body."

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The pack was light on her shoulders as she trudged behind Sasuke. They moved from branch to branch with the fluidity of a river.

They had set out just before sunrise and it was nearing sunset. She could feel it in the air, the way it slowly cooled the more the sun fell in the sky. They had taken a lunch break, but Suigetsu was starting to complain about dinnertime. Karin tried to shut him up, but he started to pretend like his stomach could talk.

"Feed me, feed me!" Suigetsu whined in a low voice, "I need food or I'll dieeeee."

"Good, maybe then you'll shut up," Karin retorted, trying to punch him in the shoulder, but he moved out of her reach.

Their pace slowed as Sasuke came to a halt. They dropped to the forest floor and Juugo immediately went off to patrol while Suigetsu went to go catch some fish from the pond they had passed a mile back. Sasuke disappeared without a word, his pack still on.

Karin gathered firewood and started a fire. When she was done she shuffled from foot to foot, refusing to acknowledge Sakura.

Unbothered, Sakura kneeled down and made sure her few belongings were in her bag: some clothes Sasuke had given her right before they left, medical supplies Juugo had given her, some food supplements and water, and a blanket. She still felt unprepared without her katana, but there was nothing she could do about that.

After a while of awkward silence, Karin spoke up, "I hear you almost defeated Sasuke in a spar."

Sakura shrugged. "It was a tie."

Karin huffed and crossed her arms. "Next time, mark up his face a little, will you?"

A laugh escaped Sakura, an exhale of amusement and surprise. Finally someone else felt violence towards him!

"We'll do it together, okay?"

Karin raised both eyebrows, her cheeks staining pink. "I think I would chicken out before I got the chance."

"Just wait for him to break your heart, then you'll take any chance you get to kill him." Sakura closed her pack and stood, her hands dangling uselessly at her sides.

Karin took a hesitant step closer. "He really hurt you, didn't he?"

Before she could respond, Juugo came from behind a tree. "Perimeter is clear. Is Suigetsu back yet?"

"Let me guess, you're hungry too," Karin drawled and shouted out Suigetsu's name with a voice that could match Naruto's. "Get your ass back here so we can eat!"

The thought of Naruto brought a small smile to her lips. In a way Karin reminded her of him: they're loud, always talking and grumbling, and don't keep their thoughts to themselves. It made her miss Naruto even more than she already did.

Sakura felt Sasuke and Suigetsu approaching long before they appeared at the edge of their camp.

"Karin," Sasuke warned as he set his pack to the ground. "Are you trying to give away out location?"

"She's hungry, can you blame her?" Sakura cut in before Karin can stutter back a response. "Suigetsu, did you take a swim while you were catching those fish?"

Suigetsu dropped the fish on the ground, his glare aimed at her. "You catch them next time, oh mighty pink one."

Karin snorted and moved to pick up the fish, smacking Suigetsu in the back with them, leaving a dirt and water mark.

"Why you…" Suigetsu threatened, his hand balling into fists.

"Stop," Sasuke demanded in a low voice. "Before you kill each other."

"I wouldn't mind that," Karin grumbled but turned away, heading towards the fire to clean the fish.

Sakura sat there, leaning against a tree, and observed as the four of them worked together. Even though they were all different, they came together, each piece fitting against the other perfectly to make a team that was strong and whole.

She thought about Team Seven and how she once thought they were the same. That was before Sasuke and Naruto went solo to gain stronger. Before Sakura realized she was only one who actually wanted to be apart of Team Seven, not for power or revenge, but because it was her family, her best friends who watched her back and kept her going when nothing else could. And they just left without seeing the girl who had worked so hard to be stronger so she could protect them and watch their backs like they had done for her.

It hurt to know she never got to repay them, never got to say thank you. Now all she had was bitterness towards Sasuke and a distant feeling towards Naruto. They forced her to be alone, made her believe it was better than being on a team and being weak, and she will never forgive them for that, for taking away her trust in others because in the end they'll leave. If her teammates, her own best friends did it, then what's stopping everyone else from doing the same?

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The door slammed open, bouncing against the wall with a loud noise before nearly smacking Naruto in the face. He slid out of the way and it shut with a bang.

Tsunade jerked awake, her head shooting up from the desk with enough force to make her neck crack. She tapped the empty sake bottle into the trash next to the desk with a finger, the sound drowned out by Naruto's voice.

"A nin from the Sand Village claims she saw Sakura!" He sat down at a chair in front of the desk, but hopped back up a second later.

Tsunade sighed. She knew it was a matter of time before Naruto found out. "I know. I got a message a few days ago from Sand."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've been halfway there by now—"

"Naruto, stop." Tsunade stood and came around to the other side of her desk, leaning against it with crossed arms. "You're not going after her—"

"What? The hell I'm not!" Naruto gripped the back of the chair with white knuckles. "She's practically your daughter and you're not going to try and retrieve her from that _monster_?"

Huffing, she pointed a finger at him, her eyes blazing. "You don't think this is hard for me? They've most likely moved by now. Sasuke's not stupid. I sent a team out to investigate hours after I heard."

The chair's back split down the side, the wooden legs collapsing under the pressure of Naruto's hands. "If that team comes across Sasuke, they're good as dead. Our trail will go cold and we'll be back where we started."

"I gave the team strict orders not engage Sasuke in a fight," Tsunade explained, her eyes falling on the chair with relief. Good riddance to the ugly thing. "We need you here Naruto. You're one of our most prized ninjas, I can't have you going out getting yourself killed for Sakura."

She swallowed thickly, the words stuck in her throat. "I can't sleep, can barely eat, fight the urge to go after her myself…but she can take care of herself."

"This is Sasuke we're talking about," Naruto said in a voice so serious and laced with worry. Tsunade had never heard this tone from him before and it made her stomach twist so tightly she thought she was going to be sick. "You don't understand how much he hurt her, after everything she did for him. Sakura's stronger than anyone I've ever met, but being around him is going to make her snap sooner or later."

The door closed without a sound. Tsunade wished it would slam, make her snap out of the fog of Naruto's words. They rang true and she knew Naruto was going off after Sakura, but she didn't have it in her to stop him.

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So someone left a review saying if I wasn't going to take time to finish my stories then he/she wasn't going to waste their time reading them. That review isn't why I'm posting this chapter, I got inspiration to finish the chapter, so don't get any ideas about leaving discouraging reviews. I understand that that person is frustrated, I would be too if an author I liked was posting once a year with oneshots that aren't part of stories and have cliffhanger endings and don't really make sense. But that's all they are, are oneshots for the 100 Situations and if you don't want to read them then don't. I'm not going to be offended if you guys find better stories to read where the author actually finishes them.

Well I have class in like ten minutes so Happy Valentine's Day and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	10. Past Memories

**No Longer Weak**

_Past Memories_

"Well this base is definitely nicer than the last one," Karin said dryly, hands on her hips. Her eyes took in the waterfall, the loud roaring filling the clearing with white noise.

Suigetsu scowled and muttered, "What base? It's under the fucking ground." He turned to Sasuke with hope shining in his eyes. "Is there an underground pool?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and approached the waterfall, doing hand signs with each step closer. The falling blue parted to reveal a stonewall that shivered and then faded like sand in the wind, revealing a pitch black hallway untouched by the setting sun. When his foot crossed the invisible line separating the inside and outside, lamps roared to life with fire.

Sakura was lead forward by Juugo, his hand on her shoulder. The cloth around her eyes was a protective measure to ensure she didn't know where they were. While they had walked, bored out of her mind, she had taken up the hobby of counting the footsteps, the number of turns, the feel of sun on her skin and the direction it came from.

Even with her eyes covered, her steps were sure and well placed like she didn't need sight to walk a straight line. She could hear Sasuke up ahead, the soft footfalls he thought were silent. Suigetsu's shoulder brushed against the wall every now and then, the scraping noise bouncing along the stone. Juugo's steady breathing sounded closer to her left ear even though his hand was on her right shoulder. Following up the rear, Karin kept taking her glasses off to clean rid the lenses of dust, her complains quiet but still audible.

They stepped into a main hallway and Juugo pulled the blindfold off before taking a few steps back as though she was dangerous. A sound nin stopped in his tracks at the sight of Sasuke, moving out of his way as he took a right down the hallway. They went down two flights of curving stone stairs, each level colder than the last.

Karin and Suigetsu broke off when they got to the bottom of the second set of stairs. Their bickering could be heard as they disappeared down a hallway glowing a soft orange.

Before Sakura could wonder where they were going, Juugo said, "Training at two?"

"Aa." Sasuke and Juugo both walked away in different directions. Unsure of what to do, she half tempted to go back the way she came, but then Sasuke called, "Don't even think about it."

Grinding her teeth, she started after him. "So where am I staying this time? The dungeons?"

"Tempting," he replied with a hint of sarcasm. "But no, you're staying with me."

"Why?" Sakura growled in annoyance. "It's not like I can climb out another window. We're deep enough to call it Hell."

Sasuke snorted and stopped in front of a wooden door. Pushing it open, a gust of cold musty air hit them in the face. Performing the hand seals for a fire jutsu, Sasuke lit the candles lining the walls and then the candle chandelier looming overhead. They were in the main room, two bedrooms with a bathroom in the middle hidden behind three doors on the far side.

Emitting a groan, Sakura stepped into the room behind Sasuke and felt the stone wall with her fingertips. "I hate the cold."

Turning to him, she said in a serious voice. "Almost as much as I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual."

"Good. Wouldn't want it any other way."

"Not that I care, but when did your feelings change?" Sasuke asked as he moved around a wooden table and settled onto the cushioned mat against the left wall. It had a bowl with fresh fruit in the center and he picked up an apple, wiped it off with a corner of his sleeve, and took a small bite.

"You don't deserve an explanation," she said in a soft voice. It was the most vulnerable he had seen her since capturing her and they both knew it.

Angry at letting him affect her like that, she turned and headed into a room on the left that she assumed was a bedroom. At that point she didn't care whom it was meant for.

Finding the bed, she fell across it. The bedspread was fluffy and molded to her body comfortably. Her fingers fisted in the fabric and she pushed herself higher onto the bed, her elbow bumping a mound of folded clothing.

Grabbing it, she realized they were meant for her and slipped out of the dirt-smeared clothes she had been previously wearing. The clean clothes felt wonderful against her skin as she tugged the shirt over her head. Sliding on the undershorts and then the skirt, she tucked her gloves in the waistband then fell back against the bed and closed her eyes, trying to force the memories down. They were too strong and she gave up, letting them take over her thoughts. She welcomed the pain and hatred for it reminded her of the weakness she had let take over her and the results of being weak.

_"Sakura, you can't go!" Naruto screamed after her as she headed for the front gate of Konoha. She pulled her hood lower over her face, blocking out the rain. Gritting her teeth, she tried telling herself the wetness on her cheeks weren't tears._

_"Tsunade gave me this mission Naruto." She turned when she felt him tightly wrap his fingers around her arm, stopping her. "I have to do it as my duty to the village."_

_"Not alone, though. You'll get killed." His voice wobbled and she could see the turmoil clear in his face. His lips trembled._

_With a small smile, she whispered, "Then it'll be a death worthwhile."_

_Squeezing his eyes shut, he pulled her to him and hugged her as tight as he could. She couldn't breathe, but she still wrapped her arms around him._

_He pulled away, his hands on her shoulders. "Did you ask for this mission Sakura?"_

_She stepped back, his face a blur through the tears. "It doesn't matter Naruto. She gave it to _me_ because she believes I'm capable enough to pull it off."_

_"This is Itachi we're talking about. One slip up and you're done for."_

_With a nod, she half turned, looking at the gate. "I have to go Naruto."_

_He grabbed her hand, holding it for as long as he could before she moved away, leaving the village without looking back and unsure if she would be back._

"Sakura."

Without lifting her head, she muttered, "Don't worry, I'm still here."

There was a pause, as though he didn't know what to say but wanted to say something, a rarity when it came to Uchiha Sasuke.

"You do realize your candles are unlit," he pointed out as he leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed.

"Oh?" She finally lifted her head and the faint glow from the room behind him lit up her pale face. For a moment she looked like a ghost, a wilted flower that didn't belong there but had no motivation to leave. A part of him felt like she would fade away between one blink and the next. Her shoulders were curved in but when she felt his gaze on her she straightened. "I hadn't noticed."

Sasuke did some hand seals and the candle chandelier became ablaze. The room felt slightly warmer and she gained back some color, her pink hair catching the light and her face losing some of the shadows that had given her a gaunt appearance.

"I'm going to train. If you need anything Karin is around the corner, Suigetsu's room next to hers." Sakura scoffed and he shrugged, pulling the door closed as he turned.

Afraid to be left with her memories, Sakura sprang to her feet and followed him out of the room. "I want to come."

"No." He didn't falter in his steps as he picked up his katana from its place on the cushioned mat.

"Come on Sasuke. I need to train, you know that." She put her hands on her hips and moved to block the door.

"So you can try and escape again?" he asked with his arms crossed and tried to step around her while securing his katana to his hip.

"Maybe." She mirrored his step, her small frame not nearly big enough to block the door. The edge of his lips tilted in an almost smirk at her endless determination, but he caught himself before he could show any physical sign of being affected by her..._annoyance_.

"Not likely." Using more speed, he managed to step around her.

Suddenly, she was in front of him and her palm connected with his chest, forcing him back a few steps.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" her voice was mocking and he was tempted grab her around the neck and prove that she was the weaker one here.

Glaring at her, he picked up his speed and grabbed her arm, swinging her around and out of his way, his other hand brushing the doorknob. She latched onto his wrist as he released her and pulled her with him, yanking him further from the door. He rotated his wrist around and out of her grasp, his fingers wrapping around her wrist, the bones sliding under her skin painfully as he squeezed, and twisted her arm behind her back.

Gasping in pain, she reached around with her other arm, ignoring the piercing pain running up the arm trapped against her back and into her shoulder, and pushed her chakra into his arm and his fingers fell away from her wrist, useless and numb.

"What'd you do?" he growled and tried to massage feeling back into the limb but instead the numbness spread to his elbow.

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know...unless you let me go with you."

"Fine," he snarled and held out his arm, waiting with barely contained impatience for her to fix whatever she had done.

Pressing her lips together in barely concealed smugness, she reached out, her fingers landing on his forearm. He tried to ignore the soft, sureness of the tips of her fingers as she ran them up to his shoulder, stepping closer so she could reach. She could tell he was uncomfortable by the way the rest of his body seemed to cave in slightly as though trying to keep as far away from her as possible. When she was done pumping chakra into his arm, her hand dropped and she stepped around him towards the door.

"You could've saved us a lot of time by just saying yes," she informed him and stepped out into the hallway, him following close behind while he silently sulked.

He led them up to the ground level and down a different hallway, this one growing progressively lighter until they came out into a clearing in the middle of the base. The tiny forest was dead silent except for the chirping of birds and the rustle of leaves in the wind.

Turning to Sasuke, she found the spot empty and sighed, shooting out her chakra in search of him. She found him a short ways away, quickly approaching Juugo.

Part of her wanted to go off and train on her own. She pulled out her gloves from their spot tucked in her waistband and tugged them on, securing them as she picked up her pace, heading for the fight about to start between Sasuke and Juugo. It was unrealistic to train by oneself, she reasoned, and she barely knew how far Sasuke had progressed and decided to find out for herself.

.

.

.

Sakura hid her face under the crook of her arm, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Her other hand traced the charred rim of a hole in her shirt. She had been caught in front of a fire jutsu Sasuke had aimed at Juugo.

The fire would've melted the flesh off her bones had she not thrown up a wall of water around herself.

Lying so still, she could feel every drop of sweat rolling down her body. Beside her, Sasuke was sitting with one leg bent, his arm propped over his knee. His breathing was just as rapid as hers, his hand coming up to swipe at the black strands clinging to his heated skin.

Juugo was gone, having disappeared after Sakura nearly tore the left part of his body off. He must have realized he was the third wheel, Sakura mused, for during the fight Sasuke and her kept aiming deadly blows at each other, only stopping long enough to fight off Juugo in an odd, split-second team-up type of way before going back to trying to kill each other.

Sasuke shifted and she felt his shadow horizontally cover her body. She didn't move her arm from her face and held out her hand. He placed his left wrist in her hand, his skin turning a shade lighter than the grass they were lying on as she healed the torn muscles in his arm from a jutsu she had used near the end of the fight.

Sighing, she sat up and slid her hand up to his elbow, her fingers massaging his skin lightly as she used her chakra to heal him. It was a habit she used to make her patients feel better and she forced herself to stop because Sasuke didn't deserve the gentle treatment.

When she was done she lied back down. Her abdomen muscles ached and she raised her hands above her head, stretching her stomach to make the dull pain stop. Lying there in the sun, the only sound the wind disturbing the forest around them, Sasuke quietly beside her without trying to kill her or insult her, it made her forget everything that had happened over the past couple of years.

She tried to imagine Naruto sitting on her other side, his hair catching the sunlight and turning it golden. He would be running his mouth, talking about Hinata or picking on Sasuke or being nosy about Sakura's life.

As much as it pained her to say it, she missed Naruto and his loudmouth ways. He was always getting into her business, invading her personal space, in a big brother kind of way. She tried to be patient with him because she knew he was doing it because he cared and considered her his family. He considered all of Team Seven his family and she knew a small part of him still saw Sasuke as his brother even though he had abandoned them all.

"You're thinking about Naruto." It wasn't a question and it angered Sakura that he could read her so easily.

"Yeah, I am. I miss him," she told him and rolled onto her side, away from him. "Not that you would understand."

"I almost came back, a week after I left," he muttered under his breath and stood, ignoring the way his back pulled from a punch he'd received from Juugo. Before he could take a step, Sakura was on her feet and in front of him, blocking his way.

"Why didn't you?" she tried to hide the accusation in her voice, but she decided she didn't care.

He shrugged and tried to move around her.

"Why didn't you?" she repeated, her tone hard. She matched him step for step and when he wouldn't stop moving she wrapped her fists in the front of his shirt and tried to force him to stand still.

His fingers wrapped around her fists and yanked them away from his body. He shoved them into the empty space between them and disappeared in a blur. She felt his chakra signature stop a short ways away, out of sight but still in hearing range.

"If you think I'm going to heal Orochimaru, then forget it," she shouted, her body turning towards where Sasuke was. "When you left you lost any chance of help from me. If you come back to Konoha, I'll help you."

Hands grabbed her from behind, fingers fisting in the material of her shirt and yanking her backwards. Sasuke leaned over her shoulder, his breath warming her ear even though the rest of her felt ice cold. She could feel the goose bumps covering her skin.

"I will go back to Konoha," he started and Sakura's heart plummeted into her stomach. "And I will bring Naruto back here and cut off each of his limbs until you do what I say."

She turned her head away from his mouth, but his fingers wrapped around her chin, forcing her head back around. "I bet you would love that, to be reunited with him."

"I would rather die than heal Orochimaru."

"That can be arranged." Sasuke grunted when Sakura's glowing green elbow connected with his stomach. He grabbed her arm, swung her around, and grabbed her other arm, holding her still.

"Or I can coerce you another way," he whispered to her as he pulled her closer until their knees knocked.

"I already told you, I don't love you anymore," she tried reminding him as she turned her head to the side in an effort to avoid the heated stare roaming her face.

"I thought you said you never loved me," he countered with a sneer and his right hand slid up her arm tenderly, over her shoulder, and spread wide against her back, holding her flush against him.

Swallowing thickly, she turned her face up to his and said softly, her voice wobbling slightly in the beginning before she steeled herself, "It doesn't matter now Sasuke. It never did because it didn't stop you from leaving."

His body stiffened and he shoved her away from her, not caring when she nearly stumbled into a tree.

"You said you almost came back, but you chose the weaker path," she continued, steadying herself. "You went to Orochimaru. You were going to have him do the dirty work for you. Just because he's in your body doesn't mean you can call it your revenge."

She felt the katana tip against her chest, right over where her heart was, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she inhaled deeply and felt it pierce her skin, felt the blood stain her shirt and chest bindings. She welcomed the pain, was used to it. Her heart never stopped hurting after he left and she had learned to endure it.

"Do it," she challenged, but when she took a step towards him, he stepped back. She tried to take another step but the katana fell away from her skin before she could.

He stood before her, brooding and unsure of what to do. Finally, he said, "He's not going to take my body."

"Then-"

"He's the only one who knows where Itachi is hiding and I need that information."

"He's not going to give it to you willingly, you know."

He sighed, his anger all but gone. "I know, which is why I'm going to offer to let him go free."

Sakura's eyes widened. "If there's one man who doesn't deserve a second chance, it's him."

"I need that information," he growled as he turned, sheathing his katana as he started to walk away. This time she didn't stop him, hesitation, anger, frustration, and desperation all rooting her to the spot. "And I'll do anything possible to get it. I kidnapped you after all, didn't I?"

When he was gone, his chakra signature so far away she was sure he couldn't hear her, she whispered to herself and her witnesses, the trees, "I'm not bringing back Orochimaru from the dead."

The rest of her words were stuck in her throat like honey and she fell backwards against a tree, sliding down until she was sitting with her head against her raised knees.

_"Sakura, you're awake!" Tsunade came into the hospital room, her eyes landing on Sakura's hands as they tried to find the metal safety bars on the hospital bed. Naruto was on her heels, his face worried but relieved._

_"Itachi...he's..." she muttered through the drug induced haze, her fingers finally finding the metal rungs and she struggled to pull herself up._

_"Careful," Naruto scolded her, his voice quieter than normal. He placed a hand between her shoulder blades and helped her sit up._

_"Naruto?" Her fingers crawled down his arm, gripping his wrist tightly. "Is Itachi dead?"_

_"No," he hesitated and then he felt her shoulders start to shake. His arms came around her, pulling her sideways to his chest as he awkwardly leaned over the metal rungs. Her temple fell against his collarbone. _

_"I failed. I had to kill him to bring Sasuke back, but I failed."_

_"You didn't fail," Naruto tried soothing her, his hand rubbing her back gently. _

_"Where is he?" she asked quietly. Her lips stopped trembling and her shoulders stilled. "I need to try again. This time I will kill him."_

_Naruto's body stiffened and his hand froze on her back. "He went into hiding. No one knows where he is."_

_"I do," she whispered and her hands fisted into his shirt, one hand coming up to feel the gauze at her temple. "I was the last person to see him."_

__.

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So it's finals week and instead of studying I'm finishing this chapter. FOUR DAYS UNTIL I'M FREE! And then hopefully I can finish up this story and Sangreal (don't worry, I'm working on that chapter too).

Well, time to study. Enjoy!


	11. Chasing Whispers

**No Longer Weak**

_Chasing Whispers_

The days blurred together. There wasn't much to do here except eat and sleep. Only Juugo, Suigetsu, and Sasuke were allowed to bring her along when training, on the off chance they had time.

After a week of being forced to do limited training in Sasuke's apartment, Juugo finally came to get her. She could feel the moisture in the air long before they reached the surface. Rain pelted her skin as she walked out into the open and she tilted her head back, smiling at the feel of it against her eyelids.

They picked up speed, disappearing into the trees in opposite directions before meeting back up a mile from the base in a clash of kunai that sparked and echoed through the trees.

A while later, they took refuge under a canopy of trees. Sakura sat on a log and healed her broken wrist while Juugo applied pressure to the stab wound a few millimeters from his lung. When she finished with her wrist, she moved over to where he was leaning against a tree.

As she peeled back his drenched shirt and felt the skin around the wound, he said, "When we met for the first time in a dual, I didn't expect you to beat me."

"No one ever expects to be beat." Sakura pushed a wet strand of hair out of her face with her forearm, keeping her bloody fingers around the wound. The internal damage wasn't too bad, he'd reacted fast enough to avoid piercing a lung, but if he hadn't he would've drowned in his own blood.

"Sasuke made you sound weak," Juugo admitted with an ashamed look.

Her fingers glowed green as she started healing the internal damage, her face showing no reaction at Juugo's words. It was expected from Sasuke, especially with their past. She couldn't help but agree somewhat. She'd always been in the way, either physically or emotionally, and him and Naruto had always had to pick up the slack. Although she knew it was a bad idea, she couldn't help but be curious as to what Sasuke had said specifically about her. It was odd to imagine him talking about her when she wasn't around, especially years after leaving.

"How so?" she murmured as she finished. She sat back on her heels and tilted her head up to the canopy above, feeling the drizzle that managed to break through against her skin.

Juugo watched his skin seal up, amazed that there was no scar.

"He said you were loud, that he would hear you from a mile away and that you always let your emotions get in the way," he started and then hesitated, looking away from her gaze as though he suddenly regretted saying anything, especially to her, their supposed enemy and prisoner. But she'd been here long enough for him to trust her enough to continue, "I haven't seen any of that. I don't see any weakness."

"Not everything can be seen with the eyes." Sakura picked at the dirt with her blunt nails. "He was right, about everything he told you. I was a stupid girl who believed in things that weren't real."

"That's in the past, now any team would be lucky to have you. We're lucky to have you."

Sakura sighed and wiped at the blood dripping over her brow, healing it unconsciously. Juugo was nicer than she would've expected, but it made her feel slightly uncomfortable because she didn't want ties here. Their situation wouldn't change unless Sasuke changed and that wasn't happening.

"We all know I'd rather be in Konoha, far away from Sasuke. I'm sure he would agree in the three words he speaks per day," Sakura said with a roll of her eyes as she stood, feeling a slight ache in the back of her thighs and calves.

"I know you hate him, rightly so in my opinion, but he's not as bad of a person as you think. He doesn't talk about personal things, but sometimes he has to be patient," Juugo told her and also stood.

Sakura scoffed at that. When she was young she'd been waiting for years for him and a lot of good that did her.

"There are only three personal things I've ever heard him talk about." Juugo gave a small smile in memory. "His goals, Naruto, and you."

There was a small pulse from behind her, close to the base. The chakra signature brushed against her spine like fire and she immediately knew who it was.

"Anything you'd like to tell me about Sasuke?" she asked.

Juugo shook his head and then a minute later he said, "He's heading our way."

Instead of making some sarcastic remark, Sakura settled against a tree and waited. Always being angry at Sasuke took its toll and she wasn't in the mood today, not after Juugo started implying things she didn't want to hear.

He finally arrived, silent as the rain hitting her skin. Sakura didn't want to find out why he was there because he rarely sought people out unless it was necessary.

"Sakura," the use of her name sent unbidden goose bumps down her arms and legs. "We're leaving."

No longer willing to deal with his short, non-descriptive answers, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"On a mission."

There was nothing she could do but follow him back to the base, wait for him to pack, and then follow him back out of the base. She wondered what kind of mission they were going on and knew that there were only a few options that required a medic of her skill, prisoner or no prisoner.

Her eyebrows arched when he handed her a pack. Inside she found her weapons of choice along with medic and traveling supplies. As she was shouldering the pack, Sasuke shoved her katana into her hand.

He caught her wrist. "Protection only," he warned and then turned and disappeared into the trees, expecting her to keep up.

.

.

.

They stopped at dusk. It had finally stopped raining, but her clothes were still damp and she couldn't stop shivering. Ignoring it, she immediately went off to gather firewood even though she was cold and exhausted. Her spar with Juugo had taken a decent amount of chakra and after running all day her levels felt low.

When she had enough to last the night, she came back to find Sasuke skinning a rabbit. He didn't acknowledge her until she started to do hand signs for a fire jutsu. The wood roared to life and after changing behind a tree, she settled down on the opposite side, hugging her knees and scooting closer until it almost felt like the heat was going to burn her.

Sasuke started to roast the rabbit. The smell was heavenly, a lot better than the pills she normally took to give her energy and nutrition when on missions.

There was movement next to her and Sasuke sat down, holding out the rabbit for her to rip off a piece of meat. It was juicy and hot, but she didn't mind and tore off a leg. They picked at it silently, ignoring when their fingers touched.

His body heat felt good against her side, but she'd die before admitting it out loud. Back in Konoha, when she'd thought about how her future would turn out, she wouldn't have thought she'd be sitting peacefully next to Sasuke. Sitting next to his dead body, maybe.

It wasn't until they were done and he'd declared he'd take first watch that she said, "What's the mission?"

He'd settled back across the fire from her and for a moment she didn't think he was going to respond until he said, "There have been whispers that a man in a northern village knows where Itachi is hiding."

"Whispers from who?" The topic made her stomach twist. It brought up memories of her last encounter with Itachi and the fact that this supposed man probably knew nothing.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if it's a trap," she argued as she unrolled her sleeping mat.

"Good thing you're here then with your healing abilities," he sneered at her and turned his back so he could watch the perimeter.

"We both know if you're dying I'm not going to heal you," she informed him and rolled so her back was to him. It angered her that she could still sense his chakra, even with the fire nearly burning a hole in her back. "It'll be your own damn fault for being so desperate and stupid."

"You know how long I've been waiting for this. I'll do what it takes to get my revenge." He got up and walked away from the campsite, signaling the end to their conversation.

"Anything?" she whispered and felt her throat clog up at the memory of Naruto standing at Konoha's gate for two weeks, waiting for his best friend and, in his mind, his brother to come back. The day he stopped waiting, she'd silently promised to him that she'd bring him back, but as the days passed and she became more mature, she wondered if she'd be able to bring him back alive.

Lost in thought, she never remembered falling asleep until the sun was peeking over the horizon the next morning. She was rolling up her sleeping mat when Sasuke dropped down from the trees.

"You never woke me," she said.

He shrugged and bent down to scatter the fire pit. "You're going to need your energy."

"You're going to torture him." She clenched her fists, wanting to punch him in the face even if he'd stopped being an asshole long enough to let her sleep the entire night. "I won't help you. I'm your captive, not your teammate."

His actions stopped only for a split second before he continued what he was doing, but it was long enough for her to notice.

She wondered if she'd hit the chord she kept hitting every time she proved how different she was from the past. Served him right.

"You have no choice. If you don't help me, I will hunt down Kakashi and Naruto make sure you watch them die."

With a snort, she turned away and picked up her shoulder pack. "You'll never get the chance. I'll kill you first."

It was his turn to snort. He stood and jumped into the nearest tree, not waiting to see if she was behind him. She was half tempted to run in the opposite direction, but knew it would only be a waste of energy.

Halfway through the day they had to stop and put on warmer clothes as the temperature got colder each hour they ran. At that point Sakura was almost certain they were in Shimogakure.

That night was the same routine, except this time he woke her halfway through the night.

She listened to the sounds of the woods high up in a tree, trying to identify where each sound came from while also trying to keep her fingers and toes warm. Below her Sasuke slept with his back against the tree, katana resting in his lap. She knew he was a light sleeper and so if anything happened, like an ambush or her trying to escape, he'd be on his feet in a second.

Before they set out that morning at dawn, he tossed a black fuzzy blob at her and told her to put it on as he went to change into clothes that looked less like his usual attire. She'd hoped he would forget how noticeable her pink hair was and someone would recognize her and get the message out as to her location, but he rarely forgot anything.

It started raining again when they were just under an hour away from the village. She could sense faint chakra signatures, those of common people and a few stronger ones of those trained in the art of Shinobi. They hid their chakra as they got closer, dropping from the trees ten minutes from the village and joining the main path to walk with other non-Shinobi people.

Her wig kept falling into her face so she braided it back, wondering how she dealt with long hair, among other things, when she was younger. With her katana hidden under her coat, she looked innocent, like she grew up in a small town learning to read and write and have a normal job instead of the different ways to paralyze someone with just a tap of a finger.

They arrived at the village during the morning rush. They blended into the crowd easy enough. If Sakura was correct on their location then no one would look twice at them. Travelers were always passing through because of the port.

Now that she knew where they were, this would be a perfect opportunity to escape. But the consequences scared her. In a village of mostly commoners, Sasuke wouldn't hesitate in killing all of them to get to her. He would definitely do it on purpose as payback for her unwillingness to cooperate.

Perched in the shadows on a roof over the main square, Sasuke searched for the man. Hours passed and then suddenly he stood. "Let's go."

Sakura followed him. She'd spent the past couple hours trying to figure out what to do. The only solution was to kill the man. Only she could know where Itachi was. When the time was right, she'd use it against Sasuke and get him to surrender and come back to Konoha. She wasn't sure what to do with him once there. The Hokage could decide because she sure as hell knew everyone else would vote for his death. What would Naruto do? He sure wouldn't be happy and she feared his reaction when-if-she ever brought back Sasuke.

Part of her would always hope that their team would reunite because it was the only true family she knew. But the more rational side knew they'd all changed and might end up killing each other instead. She smiled at the irony of it. Her life would start and end with Team 7.

There was a constant fear that Naruto was also wasting away like she was. Team 7 would always be with her, all the good and bad memories that plagued her when she slept and even when she was awake. But Naruto had more potential than being haunted by the bitter past and what could've been the future. These were hard times. Konoha needed him for missions, protecting the village instead of wasting time looking for things he no longer had. Looking for her. For a solution.

The man had a weak chakra signature and she wondered how he could ever know where Itachi was. How could Sasuke believe this man knew information like that? She knew he could sense chakra signatures decently well so he must know that this man was nothing more than a commoner.

They followed the man to a street in the western part of village. He disappeared inside and they settled down on the street behind the house in the trees, waiting fore dark. Sakura sat next to Sasuke and searched the man's chakra signature to see if he was hiding his true power. The outer shell appeared to be that of a regular person, but she noticed that it was just that, a shell.

"He's been trained in chakra concealment," she told Sasuke. "The village is an old hideout of Akatsuki, he must have been a part of it."

"Hn," Sasuke replied, eyes still closed. "Still think it's a trap?"

"Yes. With that kind of information, it wouldn't have leaked." She followed his chakra signature around his house

"Everyone trips up sometimes," he said and adjusted so he was more comfortable, his knee knocking hers.

"Even you?"

"No."

Sakura rolled her eyes. And then she froze. Sasuke sensed her surprise and straightened, opening his eyes and looking at her.

"He's underground."

They crashed through the back window, sliding into a silent house. It had all of the necessities that one would need to live in it, but it looked like no one had been there for years. Dust was on every surface and none of the lights worked.

None of the doors lead down. There were no hidden passageways. Eventually Sasuke got fed up with looking and turned to Sakura. "Make a hole."

"A please would be nice," she muttered, but took out her gloves none the less. When she'd found then in her pack, she'd been surprised that Sasuke had paid such close attention, but it'd made her happy which was more important.

Dirt and wood exploded around them as she slammed her fist into the ground. She kept punching, deeper and deeper until they found a tunnel. Dropping into it, they saw that it stretched in both directions for miles, lit by small lanterns.

"This way." She pointed to her left and they took off, lanterns blurring by as a breeze picked up, indicating they were getting closer to the opening. The man's chakra was getting closer.

An explosion sound behind them, wind and debris flying past them as rocks fell behind them. More explosions filled the air, coming closer and closer even as they picked up speed. The ground vibrated under her feet as the ceiling crumbled above her. She dodged rocks as small as her hand and as big as her body. Some pelted her, scraping and bruising her skin, but she didn't stop.

Sasuke was right in front of her, punching boulders out of the way without slowing down. He glanced behind once to see if she was still behind him and then with a burst of speed broken through a falling wall of rocks.

The opening was still a good ways away. Even though they were going as fast as they could, they couldn't outrun the falling debris. Eventually it blocked off their path, caving them in a small bubble of unstable rocks that could fall at any moment.

"How deep are we?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura reached out towards the surface with her chakra. They weren't too deep. She could easily use her strength to get to the surface. That wasn't what worried her though. It was the rocks around them that could cave in with even the slightest disturbance.

"Not too deep, but these rocks, they could cave," she said.

"We don't have any other choice."

"I have an idea. How long can you hold your breath?" she asked, already starting to perform the hand seals.

"However long it takes." He only had a moment to inhale deep as the rocks around them turned to sand. It was thick and quickly rising, up past her hips. She tried to get on top of it, but it was too heavy. Arms wrapped around her legs and she found herself on Sasuke's shoulder, her head nearly to the ceiling. Sand rained down on her head, making her cough as it filled and burned her lungs.

She channeled chakra into her fist and punched at the sealing. The combination of the two made the sane come down harder.

Somehow Sasuke made them keep rising. The sand rose faster, though, and she could feel it at her knees, meaning it was almost to Sasuke's chin. They were getting close to the surface. She continued to punch at the ceiling. The sand reached her stomach.

It was to her chin and they were still underground. She took a deep breath, ignoring the scratching pain of sand in her throat and lungs, and the sand went over her head. Her fist punched at the ceiling, but it went right through into nothingness.

She dropped the jutsu and grabbed at the ground around the opening, pulling herself up so her head, her neck, her chest were above ground, quickly being drenched by the pouring rain that had picked up again. Latching onto the ground with one hand, she reached down into the sand and found Sasuke's forearm wrapped around her upper thigh.

He gasped for air when she pulled him up to the surface. They quickly got out of the sand pit and yanked out their weapons, scanning their surroundings.

Sakura dropped to the ground as a kunai whizzed past her. She snatched it up and sent it back in the direction it had come. Getting back to her feet in a blur, she felt Sasuke move in behind her, his back facing hers.

A wave of kunai came at them. The sounds of katana being drawn sliced the air and then the clink of metal on metal. Kunai fell to the ground at their feet until the enemies stopped throwing them.

"Idiots," Sakura murmured and put her katana away. She threw off her coat and gathered up kunai, placing one between each finger. Each glowed green and she threw each one in a different direction, not waiting to hear the bodies fall. Then she blurred and disappeared, appearing in the trees behind a group of three enemies.

The one on the far left's neck snapped with a small crack. The other two jumped out of her reach, but she caught one in the eye with a senbon needle that she'd had stashed up her sleeve. He swore and stopped, hands hover over the needle before Sakura's boot connected with it, sending it through his skull.

The last one had disappeared, but she could sense him above her and waited for him to drop down in a surprise attack. He did just that and she ducked under his kunai, grabbed his forearm, and shattered the bone from the elbow down.

She left him there crying and clutching his arm. Moving from tree to tree, she eliminated person after person. They never stopped coming, never ran out of weapons or energy. This had clearly been a carefully planned attack.

Sasuke's chakra was getting further away, flaring up the angrier he got. She wondered if he'd found the man yet, but quickly pushed the thought away as another wave of shinobi came at her.

One shinobi managed to kick her in the ribs, sending her from the trees. She rolled along the ground until a tree stopped her.

Wincing, she stood and then immediately ducked. The tree splintered over her and she used her leg to swipe the person's feet out from under him. She recognized the chakra, but this time it wasn't behind a shell. It flared full force, ten times the size of what it was before.

The man rolled away from her reach, quickly drawing his sword and charging her. She pulled her katana and met him in a clash of sparks, grunting under his strength. With the use of some chakra, she pushed him off her and delivered a kick to his knee.

The force should've shattered the kneecap, but he pulled back quick enough for it to only crack a little bit.

"I thought this'd be harder," he taunted and then disappeared. His chakra flared behind her and she slid to the side, avoiding his slash that would've opened her from shoulder to hip.

She kept avoiding his attacks, slipping around trees and up into them until he was panting from all the swinging he'd done. So much sweat dripped from his body she could smell it when he was close. She searched for Sasuke's chakra signature, surprised at how far away it was. The man had drawn her farther away that she had thought.

"Stop running and fight me," he roared and came at her, sword raised over his head. She came at him, side stepping his swing and hacking off his arm. He yelled in pain for a moment and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Who's running now?" she said to the trees and then sheathed her katana. She did hand signs and then disappeared in a whirl of cherry blossoms just as he jumped from the trees, his sword scattering the blossoms into a flurry of pink.

He choked on her katana as it pierced his neck and then once again disappeared into a puff of smoke. Sighing, she stood there and waited for another shadow clone to attack. It did so, smoke coming from its wounds.

She was getting tired of this game, so she let one of the shadow clone's attacks through her defenses before killing it. Blood ran down her upper arm.

"See? I'm real. Now come fight me," she called out to the darkness surrounding her.

The next three clones to come from the trees were just that, clones. They attacked from all sides, but she ducked and slashed until they all turned to smoke. The chakra signature of the one after that was stronger and she immediately knew he wasn't a clone. She defended his attacks until she caught him in the calf, smiling when he didn't disappear.

She took the offense, her attacks picking up speed until her katana was a blur and he was panting once again, this time in fear. Her katana got him in the forehead, the thigh, and the shoulder. Fed up, she pumped chakra into her katana and then swung down hard. He barely blocked it and then nicked her in the ribs in counter attack before spinning to catch the blade of her clone shadow's katana.

"Thought I'd fall for it?" He laughed, plunging his katana into the clone shadows stomach. His laughter stopped when it disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Fuck."

He spun around, but her hands were already on his neck, glowing green. And then his sword was in her chest, right over her heart. She screamed right as lightning forked the sky.

He smirked at her, pink rivulets running down his face from the cut on his forehead.

"You're done for, girl."

"Do you know where he is?" she asked in a strained voice, grimacing as he laughed, the sword shaking.

"No one knows where he is," the man said with a sneer, pushing the sword deeper in until she cried out. "But that doesn't mean he can't give orders."

"I know where he is. I was the last to see him," she whispered to him, feeling his fingers curled in the front of her shirt slacken in surprise.

"Tell me where he is and I won't kill you."

Sakura smiled and shoved forward, ignoring the shooting pain of the sword long enough to snap his neck. He hit the muddy ground with a wet thud and then her knees followed suit.

Sasuke was behind her in a blink.

"Pull the sword out," she demanded, unable to lift her arms without wanting to scream. He didn't do anything, just stood over her staring down at her. She could practically feel the anger radiating off of him and wondered if he would lob her head off once he pulled out the sword, if he ever did.

Eventually he crouched in front of her. She sagged forward and he caught her at the shoulders, keeping her at a distance so her upper body was hovering over the ground.

"Bring him back," Sasuke said, shaking her. Her wound throbbed and she winched, pushing at his hands.

"It's not worth it. He didn't know anything," she whispered, feeling the blood bubble in her throat and run past her teeth.

"That's for me to decide," he growled. "BRING HIM BACK."

"He didn't fucking know anything Sasuke. It was a trap, just like I said!"

"I don't fucking care, do it."

"The jutsu isn't something I can do all the time. In this state it'll kill me. Who do you want alive more, Sasuke, this man who knows nothing or Orochimaru?" she yelled or least it felt like she was yelling because it took all of her strength. Her breathing was becoming labored and she didn't feel bad lying to him about Orochimaru. He wasn't stupid enough to believe her anyways. "Pull the fucking sword out or I swear I'll shove it up your ass the next chance I get."

He shoved her away from him and yanked at the handle of the sword, pulling it roughly from her chest before stalking off. She bit her lip until it bled and then screamed. She fell on her back and curled into a ball as her shaking right hand came up to the wound and glowed green. The internal bleeding stopped, but she was too low on chakra to heal the surface wound. The spasms of pain ran down her right side, collarbone to hip. She wasn't sure how long she laid there for, but eventually she lost consciousness.

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I'm currently in China, studying, so things have been busy. I actually started this chapter earlier this week. My computer deleted my earlier version along with a lot of other things (and I'd had a breakdown) and it was one of the few things I couldn't get back, but I'm okay with that because I like how this chapter turned out. I took it in a different direction and I'm satisfied.

Thank you for reading and sticking with the story through all my super delayed updates.


	12. Juugo

**No Longer Weak**

_Juugo_

A fire was crackling when she woke up. She noticed that she had dry clothes on under her coat as she sat up. Her body shook with shivers and she slid closer to the fire, wincing at the tenderness of her bruises. There was a bandage with blood soaked through around her upper arm and she used a small amount of chakra to heal the cut. For now the bruises would have to wait because who knew when they'd be ambushed again.

"How do you feel?" Sasuke dropped down beside her, stiff and stone still.

"Cold," she said and felt the fire flare up in front of her as Sasuke added more wood. "Thanks."

"What happened—"

"Hmm?"

"I was being irrational."

Sakura's head snapped in his direction, mouth dropped open before she caught herself and turned back to the fire. She wasn't sure, but it almost sounded like an apology. Mouth dry, she tried to think of something to say.

"It happens."

He sighed. It sounded like he was finally releasing a tension he'd been holding for a while.

"How long was I out?" she asked, changing the subject before things got awkward.

"Couple hours." He sat down next to her and started roasting a bird.

"Are we far from the village?" She held out her hands, feeling the heat against her fingertips. It was so hot it felt like she was touching the fire itself, but she didn't pull back.

"Couple hours."

Sakura bit her lip at his unwillingness to have a conversation and pulled her legs up, letting her temple rest on a knee.

It wasn't until they were nearly done picking at the bird when she said in a low voice, "Thank you for taking care of me."

He shrugged and pulled the carcass off the stick, throwing it into the fire. "It was only bandages and dry clothes."

"Well thank you." She wanted to tell him she was surprised he even gave a shit about her well being, but that was no way to repay his unexpected kindness. Thinking back, she realized this was the longest they'd been civil to each other without trading threats or punches.

"If I knew how to heal I would've done it, but I don't," he murmured as he poked at the fire with the stick, seeing how close he could get the stick before it caught fire.

"It's not that hard," she said, but thought twice about. "Well, the small cuts aren't hard."

"Says the one trained by the best medic to ever live," he retorted.

"It's really not." She hesitated a moment and then with a nod continued, "I can teach you."

He didn't respond for a moment. "Alright."

They faced each other and she settled onto her knees, holding out her hand. "Let me see your arm."

He had plenty of scratches to choose from. She explained the basics to him and then instructed him to close his eyes and focus on her chakra as she healed one of the cut.

"It barely takes any chakra for surface wounds. It's easiest to use your fingers to channel the chakra into the wound because that's where we're most used to using our chakra," she explained as she moved onto another cut. "It's nothing special, you're just speeding up the healing process."

Her fingers moved along his skin, finding cuts. The hair on his arms rose and she couldn't help but notice his musky scent under the sweat and blood. It reminded her of laundry dried in the sun, of warm skin and summer grass.

The goose bumps on her skin made her pull away and say, "You try."

He struggled at first, using too much or too little chakra. It was especially hard for him to focus the chakra on the surface for an extended period of time. She couldn't understand why when he was so used to charging his katana with chakra or his hand when using the Chidori. Whatever it was, he eventually got past it and was able to heal each wound fairly well, leaving little scabs or scars that'd eventually fade.

Time passed in a blur and when they finally finished the sun was just above the horizon. She monitored his chakra levels as he healed the last cut on his right calf flawlessly.

"No more cuts," she said as he examined his arms and legs. Then his fingers moved to a bruise and he healed that.

"You picked that up really fast," she remarked with a small smile.

"Faster than you?" he asked as he moved from bruise to bruise with ease.

She bit her lip. Did she really want to know? Curiosity won. "What do you think?"

"You caught up with Naruto and I in two years," he reasoned as he finished, letting his elbow rest on his raised knee in complete relaxation.

_Then why haven't I been able to bring you home yet?_ she asked him in her mind, swallowing thickly. _Or kill you. _

When she'd come to the realization years ago that she'd most likely have to kill him, it'd saddened her and taken her a while to come to terms with. Now that shell was cracking and she was on the line between rationality and emotion. The memories never remained buried for long and with him in front of her, she was having a hard time imagining burying a kunai in his heart.

His movement cut off her thoughts. She felt fingers wrap around her wrist, pulling her arm out, and then his chakra was on her skin, healing the bruises and small cuts. A shiver ran down her spine and she held her body still, barely breathing.

Then his fingers were on her knee, tracing a cut on the inner side as his fingers glowed blue. There were more scratches above it, horizontal like she'd slid on a rock. He moved up them one by one and she bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. Her heart pounded in her ears and drowned everything else out, leaving her focusing on the movement of his fingers.

Did he know what he was doing? Or was he so focused on perfecting what he'd just learned that he'd forgotten who she was and their past? Or was he doing just that, remembering all the good memories?

The second he finished with them she stood. He cleared his throat and she knew he hadn't been completely focused on just healing her cuts. She forced down the heat in her face as he put out the smoldering fire. And then they were in the trees.

Being so far from the base had been a breath of fresh air. She wouldn't go so far to say that it'd made her forget what was going on, but it almost felt like a what-if experience. When it was just the two of them and they were being civil, she could almost imagine what would've happened it if Sasuke hadn't left.

The second they were back at the base it started to downpour again. She felt like a wet cat and was fed up with being soaked to the bone and cold. Her whole body was shaking when they finally reached his apartment.

"Your weapons," Sasuke reminded her.

Sakura sighed and handed over her pack and katana.

As the door slid open she felt Sasuke head back the way they'd come. She didn't bother to ask, more concerned with getting into dry clothes. Before long she was lying on her bed in a fresh set of clothes that'd been waiting on her bed. Warm, with her wet clothes in a heap in the corner, it shouldn't have been hard to fall asleep, but instead her eyes remained eyes wide open as the bruise on her back throbbed in time with her heart.

No matter how hard she tried and how much her eyes and body ached with exhaustion, she couldn't fall asleep. Her mind was spinning, moving from memory to memory. She smiled, frowned, grit her teeth, sighed, smiled again. She knew she had to harden her heart, it was getting too soft for whatever tasks lay ahead, but there was some unnamable thing that kept making it harder and harder.

She rolled and turned and eventually ended up with her head on the pillow. Even then she kept tossing until finally she pushed all thought from her mind for the hundredth time and succeeded in falling asleep.

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When Sakura woke she thought it was morning, but being underground made it hard to tell. The apartment was empty, but she followed the scent of food and found a plate on the table. She didn't realize she was hungry until she'd finished scarfing down everything down to the last crumb.

No one stopped her when she left the apartment or entered the training grounds. There were a few people sparring, but they didn't stop what they were doing. The morning breeze played with her hair as she picked up speed, jumping onto a tree and then moving from branch to branch until she found what she was looking for.

She tied her hair back, breathed in and then out as deep as she could, and then dropped down until she was hanging from the branch. From there time moved in slow motion as she pulled herself up and then lowered herself. After a while her arms became tired, but she didn't stop.

When she felt like she had no more strength left to lift her body, she thought of when she'd been fighting the man. His strength had been so overwhelming she'd been forced to use chakra. It hadn't mattered at the time, but if there were ever a time where she couldn't spare any chakra, what would she do if someone overpowered her? Most likely get her head chopped off.

Her body was dripping sweat and she hung there, mustering up the strength for each pull-up. Then it started to rain.

One hand slipped, fingers unable to grasp the wet bark. Sakura swore and before she could readjust her grip her other hand slid from the branch. She fell, surprised at how high she was as she landed on her feet. Her arms shook and her muscles felt like liquid.

Close by a familiar chakra flared up and then relaxed. She followed it, pushing through the lower branches and bushes until she came across a small pond. As she was taking cover under a shorter tree her feet caught on a pile of clothing. After untangling herself she settled down.

Karin broke the surface, noticing her immediately.

"Going to take my clothes?" she asked before disappearing and leaving ripples in her wake.

"Guess not," she muttered as she reappeared with something clinking in her hand.

"What're those?" Sakura asked. She wasn't sure why she was still here, talking to the one person who hated her most.

"Rocks," Karin said as she climbed out, not seeming to mind her nakedness. As she came closer she tossed them to the ground in front of Sakura and then got dressed.

The surface was smooth like silk and she guessed from the constant movement of the water. "What're going to do with them?"

"Why do you care?" she snapped back and then sighed. "I needed to get my mind off everything. It's been a rough day." It sure wasn't an apology, but it was the closest Karin would get to one.

Sakura was tempted to ask if it was Sasuke, but figured that there was a ninety percent chance that it was and would further upset her. Not that it mattered because they weren't friends, but she didn't feel like fighting today and neither did Karin.

"Do you think I'm part of your team now?" Sakura asked out of the blue, surprised at herself for voicing what was on her mind to someone she barely trusted. But she was curious and no one else was around to ask.

Karin shrugged. "I don't know." She shifted, the movement rubbing the rocks together in her hand as she muttered quickly, "I don't think you are."

"I don't either," Sakura replied and stood, dusting off her backside while turning to leave.

"It's because of Sasuke. You've been here a while and he wants to start taking you on missions—" she stopped herself before she said any more and pulled out a kunai. "I don't know what he sees in you, but no one will question him so if he trusts you, everyone will trust you."

Those words made Sakura's stomach twist. "I don't know what he sees either."

And with that she left Karin sitting under a tree in the rain, kunai tip chipping away at one of the rock's smooth surface inches from her face.

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There was pounding on the door. Sakura ignored it and continued to wash her hair in the shower. She knew immediately who it was. Whatever it was, it could wait.

But the pounding didn't stop. It grew more frantic until it sounded like the door would break from the force.

Sasuke was away, had been since they'd arrived back from the mission, and as she'd wandered around the base out of sheer boredom she hadn't felt his chakra signature.

With a towel wrapped around her body and a sigh bubbling in her throat, Sakura answered the door to an out of breath and heavily sweating Karin. The second Karin saw her she started talking, too fast for Sakura to catch everything.

"Slow down. What about Juugo?" Sakura stepped back to let Karin into the apartment and then disappeared into her room to change quickly.

Karin paused long enough to be in wonder at being in Sasuke's apartment before saying, "He's having an episode. Only Sasuke can stop him, but he's not here."

It didn't take very long for Sakura to realize what Karin was saying. "You want _me_ to calm him down?"

"No, I want you to buy him flowers and cook him dinner," Karin said with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, I want you to calm him down!"

Sakura contemplated a moment, hands on her hips as she ran through her options. "Show me your medical supply and pray you have everything I need."

The lab had enough for her to make due. As she gathered her supplies, she asked, "What happened?"

Karin shrugged. "No one knows. It comes randomly. I think something triggers a memory that causes his emotions to go haywire."

Tsunade had once gathered all the information she could on Juugo, but it never amounted to an answer as to what went on on the inside. Sakura wondered if today would be the day to shed some light on this mystery.

An hour later they were outside the compound and running.

"Do you remember everything I told you?"

"What, do you think I have memory loss or something?" Karin chuckled until she saw Sakura's non-amused face. "Of course I remember."

"Good." She handed Karin three syringes.

The town was a good two hour run, but they made it there in under an hour. Sakura was impressed at how fast Karin was pushing herself.

When they arrived there was so much smoke that only the shadows of the falling buildings could be seen. Karin turned to the Sound shinobi team that she, Suigetsu, and Juugo had been leading on a mission.

"Status update," she demanded.

"Suigetsu is still distracting him," one shinobi said.

"Last time we saw, he looked pretty beat up," another piped in.

"Any reason why none of you are helping?" Karin frowned and turned towards the sounds of an explosion. It came from the other end of the town. "Let's go."

Karin disappeared in a blur, going one way while Sakura went another. She tracked Karin's chakra signature, waiting for the flare of power that would signal her.

It didn't take long, which surprised Sakura. A scream followed and then a yell that was clearly Suigetsu's. More destruction, collapsing buildings, another explosion.

After counting five minutes, Sakura slid from the smoky shadows and confronted Juugo. His chakra signature was five times the size it normally was and she knew she was in for a good battle, one that would be tougher than her spars with him.

He didn't notice her at first and she moved closer, attempting to catch him off guard until she felt the shift of air and ducked under his snake-like arm. It snapped at her face and she sprung backwards, drawing the katana Karin had lent her.

His limb came off in one clean swipe and he made a pained sound. It didn't last long as his arm grew back, this time closed in a sharp point. She did hand signs as he charged, dodging his attempt to stab her in the stomach, and a hundred of her appeared.

With each puff of smoke she swore. No matter how many of her there were, she couldn't get her hands on him. He'd morphed his arm into a fist and was swinging without pause.

Her fingers grazed his wrist once, but it was too high and he slammed her into a brick wall before she could do anything besides inhale.

Before she could recover he was over her. His foot created a crater next to her head as she rolled out of the way. She managed push herself over her shoulder and onto her feet, jumping up to the roof and then onto another one.

He chased her for a while, but she kept moving in a circle and he eventually gave up. Suigetsu was slowly getting to his feet and Juugo switched his attention to him.

Sword and rock hard skin met with a clang. As he was occupied with a water jutsu, Sakura dropped in and attacked from behind. Juugo sensed her immediately and she ducked under one arm and then the other.

They moved in blurs, Juugo the fastest as he avoided both Suigetsu and Sakura. She couldn't get close enough to get her hands on him. Every time she did she risked his strength and had to jump away.

She powered her fist and shattered the ground, sending Juugo into the air. He screamed as she appeared in front of him, katana in hand, blade piercing the top of his hand. They hit the ground and she impaled the weapon in the ground, pinning him down.

Her fingers snatched his wrist as her other hand did signs. There was a movement and she tried to lean out of the way, but it hit her in the temple and she went rolling along the ground. As she got up she wiped at the blood at her hairline, swearing at the clatter of her katana being ripped from the ground.

Now both limbs were transformed and he was even more pissed off. There was a ringing in her ears and she swore as Juugo appeared in front of her, moving faster than she had ever known him capable of, slamming a fist limb into her chest and sending her flying again. It continued like this as she stayed on the defense and blocked most of his attacks.

Her back slammed into a wall and she cringed as the back of her skull slammed into brick. Her knees buckled and her head felt like it was filling with cement. Somehow she managed to do hand signs and disappear into cherry blossom petals, appearing behind another house away from him.

With his senses heightened, he found her so fast she felt like it was between one heartbeat and the next. Her whole body pulsed in pain and she couldn't understand why she couldn't get to her feet. It must be the head wound, she reasoned, but didn't have time to heal it as she got to her feet and slid backwards out of Juugo's swinging limb weapons.

The pointed limb at her in the collarbone and she realized she was slowing just as she was hit again in the stomach. Her body caved in around the pain and she fell to her hands and knees. She spit out blood and saliva.

She wondered if this would be her end. This wasn't the first time she'd wondered it, but no matter how many times she thought it would be, it always came unexpected. It's not like she expected subduing Juugo to be a cake walk, far from it, but sometimes she forgot how mortal the human body was, years of training or no.

It was ironic considering she was a medic and dealt with that daily. But maybe it was because she never had more than a scratch or bruise on her body.

Just one step closer. It was all she needed.

"Juugo, you don't want to do this," she said, knowing it wouldn't work. It never did, Karin had told her. Nothing but Sasuke ever worked. Him, his strength and his sharingan.

Juugo didn't respond. His fist limb rose over her. She didn't lift her head.

Chakra gathered behind Juugo. Something slammed into his back, creating the cracking sound of skin on skin. Juugo stumbled forward a small step.

It was enough for Sakura to lung forward, fingers resting on his pedal pulse between his sandal straps. It beat like an angry drum under her index finger. She did the hand signs faster than she'd ever done them as Juugo swung his fist limb, hitting Karin sideways into a tree.

Just as he was swinging his pointed limb at her, edge morphing into that of a blade, a pulse went through him and his body crumpled to the ground.

Sakura let her forehead fall to the ground as she caught her breath, fingers eventually sliding off his foot when she felt calm enough to sit up. Her muscles shook in her arm as she reached back and healed her skull. They always did that when she was on the brink of death and she let them rest at her sides until they stopped.

"What'd you do to him?" Suigetsu asked, limping up to where they were. Karin soon joined them, moaning in pain.

"I put him into a coma through an injected serum that had more of a chance of reaching his brain than me getting my hands on his head," she explained. "Thank you Karin."

"No problem." That seemed to stop her moaning and she stood straighter.

"I don't know how long he'll be out for, it depends on the person, but definitely for more than an hour."

"His arms are back," Suigetsu marveled.

"The coma should help his chakra go down, hopefully back to normal." Sakura started to heal her wounds, sighing as tender skin mended and cuts stopped bleeding.

When Juugo finally woke up three hours later, back at the base, he was back to normal and more than a little angry at himself. Before anyone could say anything he stormed off, muttering under his breath about his traitorous, uncontrollable body.

Although Sakura didn't want to follow him, she did anyways. He stopped halfway to his room when he realized she was catching up.

"I know you want to be alone," she started, "And you will be once I'm done checking your vitals."

He didn't say anything, but turned as his way of saying okay. His skin was warm and tense under her fingers as she went through the mental list that she'd done so many times that she could probably do it half asleep.

As her fingers settled on his temples, he asked, "How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad," she said. "But for the record, this is the first time I've experienced it so I have nothing to compare it to. Has there been worse?"

'Yeah' was all he said.

"We all have our flaws," she murmured, more to herself than to him, but he heard her anyways and let out an exhaled laugh.

"I'm sure your flaws don't destroy whole villages and require a coma," Juugo reminded her, but they both know it won't be forgotten for a very long time.

"Not all flaws are visible," she informed him and her arms fell to her sides as she stepped back. "Or their consequences. You're all done."

Juugo nodded and started to walk backwards towards his room. "Thank you Sakura. I owe you one."

She turned away, heading for her own room. The memories were trying to surface and it left a sour taste in her mouth and the throb of past wounds.

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The next morning she came out of her room to find Sasuke sitting at the table eating breakfast. She'd felt his chakra presence last night when he came back, but had just rolled over and fallen back asleep without much thought.

She settled across from him and they sat in silence for a long time. It was comfortable and she relished in the quiet as she slowly woke up. She brought a knee up and rested her temple against it as she ate, letting her eyes close. For some reason she was unreasonably tired today and it bothered her. It made her feel lazy, like the only thing she wanted to do was go back to bed and sleep all day.

When he'd finished eating, he said, "I heard what you did."

"Uh-huh," she mumbled through a bite of food. He snorted at her unladylike behavior. She chewed even louder and he snorted again. "What're you laughing at?" she pretended to be angry before smiling and scooping up more food.

"Thank you." Had it not been a couple of months since she'd been here, she probably would've choked on her food, but now she was used to his unexpected behavior and sometimes—although recently more occurring—decent attitude.

"It wasn't just me," she informed him after swallowing. She pointed her spoon at him. "Karin helped a lot, without her I wouldn't have been able to stop him."

"That's a surprise," he mused.

"Really?" she feigned surprise. "I didn't think so."

"You're the first," he said with a half chuckle.

"Then why'd you put her on your team?" she asked, forgetting about food for the moment.

"I saw potential."

"And now you don't," she finished for him. "Sometimes people just need a push."

"Hn."

They fell back into silence. She didn't ask where he went or what he did and he didn't ask how things went while he was away. He probably already knew.

After a while she finished. Before she could do anything, he stood and started cleaning up.

"Thank you," she said, this time grateful she didn't have food in her mouth because she definitely would've choked.

He left the apartment and she went back to her room to get ready for training. Today it wasn't raining so she told herself she'd do twice as much pull-ups today.

As she was leaving the apartment, she found Karin waiting right outside the door, about to knock.

"Hey," Karin started, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Yes?"

"Sasuke said you told him what I did for Juugo," she said, "And he said I did a good job."

Sakura nodded in understanding. Praise from Sasuke in this compound meant the world to people since it was so rare.

"You did," Sakura agreed, closing the door behind her.

"It's the first time he's ever said that," Karin explained, frowning. "All this time on the team and this is the first time he's said it."

"With Sasuke, you have to earn everything," Sakura said and started down the hall, Karin behind her. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go train."

There was a sharp inhale of breath behind her and then 'can I come train with you?' came out in one long, nervous jumble.

"Sure, if you can keep up."

"Oh don't worry, I will."

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Wow, I updated twice in one month! All while being busy. It feels good to accomplish things, don't you think? So there's two things I noticed. First is that this is Chapter 12 which means I've caught up to Sangreal and it makes me realize how far I've come and how long ago it was that I started both of these stories...and how I need to finish them. Second is that I'm only 11 reviews from 300!

Once upon a time, I never thought I'd ever reach that number, back when I started Sangreal in its original form of 'Powers from Within' with bad grammar and spelling and unrealistic scenes. Back when I started writing. Aww. It's been so long that I can't remember a time when I wasn't writing. So bizarre. I don't know where I'd be without fanfiction and that night before Religious Education when I wrote a really quick, bad chapter and posted it to fanfiction on a whim and thought I'd come back to 50 reviews. And then I rewrote the story when I learned that stories need actual plot lines, not just scenes you really want to write.

So with that I'll say goodbye. If you've learned one thing it's to ALWAYS USE PLOTS!


	13. Blindsided

**No Longer Weak**

_Blindsided_

Sakura fell to the ground besides Karin, her shirt rolled up to her ribcage to catch the sunlight. No sooner had she settled than Karin was getting to her feet, urging Sakura to do the same.

With a shake of her head, Sakura got up and followed her. Even though Karin had complained throughout most of the end of training about how tired she was, she never stopped. Her punches had become weaker and it had taken her longer to get up, but she kept going until the very end. It was a good trait to have, reminded Sakura of her own determination.

Long before they got there, Sakura could hear the crashing of a waterfall. And then they appeared at the top and Karin was running towards the edge. She leaped off, sailing through the air in a perfect dive.

Sakura smiled and followed suit, clutching her knees right before she hit the water. Karin screeched as a wave of water crashed over her and then popped up again, laughing and coughing up water.

The water was refreshing after a long morning of training and Sakura dived down, using chakra to get down to the bottom thirty feet below. As she descended, it got colder and colder. Her ears popped and she floated there for a moment, her toes grazing the slimy rocks as she took in the silence. Fish swam past her, brushing her legs and arms without realizing she was human.

_No matter how deep you sink, you're never alone, _Sakura thought. It reminded her a Tsunade and how she'd stuck by Sakura's side even when Sakura had been on her knees, inches from giving in to the tiredness of her muscles and the pain of her wounds. Tsunade never gave her a hand to help her up. Instead she taught her to find the strength in herself to get up on her own, to place her palms on the ground and push herself to her feet.

And never did Tsunade turn her back. It was much harder to give up with the fear of having to look your mentor in the eye to do so. She stood over Sakura, day after day, and sweated, bled, and wore herself out with her.

With burning lungs, Sakura started back up for the surface. Karin was drifting along on her back, kicking every now and then when she started to sink. They relaxed in silence for a while, listening to birds in the trees above them.

Sakura, surprisingly, broke the silence first. She blamed it on her newfound respect for Karin after the past week, not on the fact that maybe, just maybe she was starting to get a little lonely. "You really like to swim, don't you?"

"It's the only alone time I usually get, so yeah."

Sakura chuckled. "You're lucky. My alone time means hiding in my office until someone, usually Naruto with some problem or another, breaks down my door."

There'd been one week where Naruto had broken her office door eight times. It'd been the beginning stages of his courtship with Hinata and he'd been as paranoid and panicky as a mother with her newborn baby.

"I don't know how you do it. Dealing with people all the time," Karin mused and then made a sound of disgust. "Especially snot nosed kids who won't stop crying."

Sakura pushed herself onto the bank surface and slid off her shirt and shorts so she could dry quicker. Finding a patch of sunlight, she settled down.

"They're not that bad," Sakura said and cracked her fingers. "And no one likes to get on my bad side." She blushed and scratched the back of her head. "I always forget my strength and tend to punch walls. Just like my old mentor."

The memory of twin holes in the wall, one from her and one from Tsunade, made her giggle.

"Why'd you want to be a doctor?" Karin pulled herself out of the pond next to Sakura and turned away, stripping to just her underwear and then laying on her stomach.

"After watching Sasuke leave, and then Naruto, I was sick of watching everyone turn their backs on me, whether it was to leave or protect me. I wanted to be at their side, helping them instead of being useless. Tsunade offered to help me do that," Sakura explained.

Karin was quiet and Sakura realized she probably understood what it was like to watch Sasuke turn his back on her. Finally, she said, "I want to become stronger like you three did."

"Be careful what you wish for. All three of us gained strength, yeah, but we pushed ourselves through hatred. Sasuke for revenge, Naruto because he couldn't bring Sasuke back, and me because I wasn't enough for them to stay." Sakura turned her head away so Karin wouldn't see the flash of heartbreak across her face. Her lips trembled and she bit them harshly between her teeth until the pain made her control herself.

Karin seemed to sense that they were wading into forbidden territory and didn't ask anymore on the subject. She knew Sakura's past was painful, just like her own had been, but it inspired her to keep going. If Sakura could do it, so could she.

They sat there in silence. Eventually conversation picked up again and the hours passed. It was nice to have someone to talk to, Sakura finally admitted as she headed for the apartment. When she arrived, she found a cold plate of food. By now it was late into the day and she sat down with a yawn. The sun had zapped her energy and her muscles were tired in a good way that only came from exercising.

She leaned her head on palm as she scooped food into her mouth. As she chewed, she noticed that the dish had a lot of tomatoes in it. She wondered if he had a bowl of tomatoes around here somewhere so he could pick one up every now and then to eat like an apple.

Her eyes drooped and she stood, leaving the plate there to clean up later.

The shower she took was quick and consisted of her leaning against the wall every chance she got.

Rubbing one temple tiredly, she didn't realize she'd made a wrong turn until she was in a room that felt warmer than her own with sheets that smelled distinctly like Sasuke, heat like from a crackling fire or sunlight, up to her collarbone. They were light and she shivered underneath them, wondering how he managed to stay warm.

She told herself to get up and go to her own room, but her eyes were already closed and the thought was slipping from her mind. Maybe she could rest her eyes a minute, but she knew that if she did she would fall asleep.

After that thought faded from her mind under the heavy veil of exhaustion, she fell asleep.

_Even though it was raining, she couldn't move herself to get up from the bench. She found herself coming here every night after she jolted awake from her nightmares. They'd started up after he'd left and no matter how tired she was after, her muscles would itch with the need to move._

_Most times she didn't remember them when she woke, the only indicator that she'd had a nightmare being the rapid beat of her heart._

_She'd climb out the window and scale down the side of the house, using chakra the way Kakashi had taught them. He'd made them walk up and down trees for hours until they got the hang of it and now she was grateful for his relentlessness. _

_And then she'd walk with no destination in mind. No matter what direction she set out in from her house, her feet always navigated her to the bench Sasuke left her on the night he left. She hated that bench, but sat down on it anyways because once she got there, her body became so weak with internal exhaustion that it was all she could do. _

_Sometimes she was tempted to use her growing strength to break it into little pieces until the only thing left was the memory. But that was the biggest problem, wasn't it? She could destroy the physical thing itself, but there would always be a piece of it within her, out of reach of her glowing fist._

_The longer the night dragged on, the colder it got. She was tempted to use chakra to keep herself warm, but knew in a couple of hours she'd need it for her training with Tsunade. _

_She jumped when the very subject of her thoughts sat down next to her. With a pounding heart she stared wide-eyed at Tsunade, her mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. Eventually she settled on a quiet, "What are you doing here?"_

_"I could ask you the same thing."_

_Sakura shrugged and brought her knees up as she shivered. Her clothes were starting to itch and the wetness felt as though it had settled in her bones. A strong arm wrapped around her and pulled her into a soft but toned side. The heat radiating off Tsunade chased the shivers away and Sakura's body relaxed, her eyelids starting to droop._

_"We all have our demons, Sakura, but it's not about running away, it's about facing them."_

_"He's not a demon," she argued. _

_Tsunade smiled down at the top of Sakura's head. No matter how harsh the villages were in calling Sasuke a traitor, Sakura still stuck by his side. She feared this faith in him would truly break her._

_Sakura yelped when Tsunade pushed her away. Pain erupted in her knees and palms as they hit the ground. She turned and the sight she saw made her scream._

_Tsunade was clutching at a katana blade sticking out of her jugular. Blood spurted and ran in sheets down her body. There was so much of it that that was all Sakura could see as she crawled towards Tsunade. _

_She was crying as Tsunade lifted one red stained hand and clutched Sakura's shoulder in an iron grip. The light was fading from her eyes, but she continued to stare at Sakura. There was fear and sadness as her lips parted. She tried to say something and blood bubbled between her teeth, hitting Sakura in the face when she coughed._

_"Tsunade," she whimpered, hands glowing green around the katana. She didn't know what to do. They hadn't gotten this far in her training yet. The only thing she could heal was small cuts and bruises._

_Her lips wobbled. She was useless._

_The katana was jerked from Tsunade's body with the wet, grinding sound of metal on bone. _

_Sakura caught Tsunade's body as she slumped forward. "We have to get you to a hospital!" She used her strength and lifted Tsunade onto her shoulder, nodding her head in determination. _This_ she could do._

_Although Tsunade was heavy, even with the aid of chakra, Sakura kept going. She heard footsteps behind her and didn't stop to look, instead speeding up._

_A katana pierced through Tsunade's back, out her chest, and into Sakura's back. With a scream she stumbled, but she didn't drop Tsunade. The blade was pulled from their bodies and Sakura grit her teeth, getting her feet moving again with a grunt._

_The blade was back, cutting through Tsunade's back and into Sakura's over and over again until Sakura fell to her knees. The footsteps walked around her side. Legs appeared in her vision and she looked up into red eyes._

_"Itachi..."_

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Sasuke was beyond tired as he stepped out of the shower. All he wanted was to go to bed and be done with the day, if it wasn't late enough to be the next day already.

After he'd cooked up some rice, fish, and broccoli, leaving it for Sakura and taking a few bites from her plate to hold himself over until morning, he'd headed straight for the shower.

Walking into his room, he let his towel drop and put on a pair of pants before sliding into bed.

It wasn't until he was settled under the sheets that he realized he wasn't alone. His whole body stiffened as something shifted next to him, letting out a sigh as it moved closer to his warmth. An arm suddenly wrapped around his chest and he barely caught himself from stabbing whoever it was in the neck when he caught a flash of pink.

What the_ fuck _was she doing here? Did she _want_ to get killed?

What angered him the most was he'd failed to even notice she was here until now. She slept so quietly that he hadn't even heard her. Everything she did these days was quiet, when she wasn't in a bad mood, Sasuke thought with a grimace.

A nose pressed into his bare collarbone and he nearly jumped, eyes wide. He lifted the sheets slightly when he felt a slim leg throw itself over one of his, bringing her body flush against his side.

Her other hand pressed into his side and he shivered at her cold fingers. They quickly warmed the longer they stayed like that and he swore in his mind because this wasn't supposed to be happening and since it was, he had no fucking clue on what to do.

Maybe he should push her off the bed? That'd get the hint across. With a low growl, he was about to do just that when he caught a whiff of her hair. It smelled like him, with undercurrents of her own natural smell. Something in him shifted and sent heat first to his heart and then lower. He stared down at his pants.

_Fuck_.

He was out of bed in a flash. Time for another, much _colder_, shower.

As he stood under the spray, shivering, he fought the urge break something, most preferably Sakura's neck. This was _not_ supposed to be happening. He wasn't going to let it happen.

She was _not _attractive in any way.

Yet he found that he was contradicting himself as he thought of the way her body had fit against his so comfortably. He hadn't been able to push her away even though his brain was telling him to. Then way her body had snuggled closer to his warmth, needing him even if in the slightest of ways.

And those goddamn fingers of hers. The way they sent warmth and shivers through his body all at once scared him. Every time she touched him, he told himself to get away as fast as possible and yet he couldn't.

He didn't like how she was slowly filling the cracks in the exterior he spent so long building around himself. It'd almost fallen the night he'd left her on that bench.

He'd been just past the gate. Foolishly, he'd looked back for one last look. A sakura tree had been in full bloom just off to the left and he'd almost gone back. He'd taken one step back towards the gate, then caught himself and turned without another glance back.

When he came back he was more calm, but still irritated. This time he wouldn't be blindsided by the pink haired she-devil.

He caught sight of one bare thigh and inhaled sharply, rooted to the spot. Well that didn't take long. He didn't know what to do, didn't really want to do anything because half of him was telling himself to do one thing while the other half told him to do the opposite. Push her off the bed or join her?

With arms crossed, he stared at her. Her body had curled around the warm spot he'd left. Never before had he had a girl in his bed. He could've if he wanted to, he thought with a smirk, but he'd never found anyone he thought he could stand letting that close into his personal space. And now here she was, doing exactly that and not even asking.

With another growl, he decided his course of action and went to flip the mattress as a nice wake up call, but a small whimper caught his ears.

She was moving now, rolling from one side and then back to the other as the sheets tangled around her body. And then he saw the tears. He turned away. He hated her tears, couldn't stand the sight of them back then or now.

"Itachi..."

His eyes shot to her in shock. He'd thought he was the only one who ever had nightmares about his brother. What had Itachi done to Sakura that could possibly do the same to her? Did she understand more than she let on? Why hadn't she ever said anything?

And then he remembered, again for the hundredth time, that she wasn't the same twelve-year-old girl he'd left behind. She was on their level now. And that came with a price. Of course she had her own demons, had seen things she didn't want to see and done things she could barely stomach. They'd all been through it.

He sighed and moved towards the bed, this time with soft eyes. He sat on the edge, placing a hand gently on her shoulder to try and wake her up.

It was at that moment that she jolted awake, gasping for air with wide eyes. He cleared his throat, knowing he should say something, but not sure what.

She should've known he was there considering it was _his _room after all, but clearly she didn't because she yelped at the noise, her fist flying in the darkness.

And he, idiot that he was starting to realize he was, should've known by now that she had perfect aim. He heard a crack, felt the explosion of pain in his nose before blood started pouring everywhere.

"You just fucking _broke _my nose."

"Opps."

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"Will you _sit still_ for two fucking seconds?" she growled at Sasuke and gripped his shoulder firmly to get him to turn towards her. He gave a 'ch' and crossed his arms tightly, his body going stone still.

"Thank you," she said. They were sitting on the edge of the bed, Sasuke holding a wadded up shirt to his nose to catch the blood. Sakura slid closer, her knee bumping his thigh as she gently took his hand off the shirt and held it there herself. Her other hand moved to the back of his neck to make sure he stayed still.

She dropped the shirt in her lap and started prodding at the skin here and there, impressed when Sasuke barely winced.

"It's not too bad," she murmured to herself.

He swore when she cracked his nose back into place without warning. His vision swam with tears and he dug his nails into his biceps. Green chakra blocked out everything else in his sight and he felt the pain slowly receding.

She felt bad for what she'd done, she really did. It'd been a knee-jerk reaction and before she'd known what she was doing, her fist was hitting him square in the face and he was yelling at her while stumbling around in the dark in search of something to stop the bleeding.

But on the other hand he shouldn't have sneaked up on her like that. It's not like her tendency to get violent when taken by surprise was anything new. When they were younger she'd react with a punch to the face or kick to the balls if she woke up to anyone in her sleeping space that she didn't want. Usually it was when Naruto tried to cuddle. She smiled at the thought then immediately felt bad because this situation was serious.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in the silent space between them. She let her hand fall to her lap when she finished healing him.

"For what?" he snapped and headed for the bathroom to clean the blood off his chest. Sakura followed at his heels. "Breaking my nose or sleeping in my bed? Because I didn't give you permission to do either."

Heat flooded her cheeks and she stayed half hidden behind the door frame. "Both I guess. I didn't mean to go in your room, I just got disoriented."

Sasuke snorted and then immediately regretted it as his nose was still tender. He grabbed a towel and wet it, wiping at the drying blood roughly.

"Well next time ask, especially if you're going to start fucking cuddling," he said, immediately wishing he could take back his words because there would be no next time if he had any say in it.

"I _do not _cuddle," she retorted, lips pressed together in either embarrassment or resolve, he couldn't tell.

He snorted again, swore. "Could've fooled me." He smirked as her face turned even redder and he got his answer.

"You're lying to get back at me," she said, throwing the bloody shirt at him and then leaving the doorway. She made sure she went to her own room this time and then locked the door behind her.

Her hands were shaking and she told herself that it was just guilt that had her nerves on fire. It wasn't the heat of his skin under her fingertips or the knowledge that he'd been shirtless. And it definitely wasn't the fact that she'd cuddled up to him because she didn't cuddle, period.

Even if she did cuddle, she wouldn't do it with him. He was a traitor, a killer, forbidden. He wasn't the twelve-year-old boy from Team Seven. And she certainly wasn't the twelve-year-old girl from Team Seven. They were grown adults that knew how to control themselves and their emotions.

Emotions that had gone from black and white to gray. Love had other variations. Desire, longing.

Sakura swallowed thickly and rubbed at her eyes. This was _not_ supposed to be happening. She couldn't let it happen or everything would fall apart again.

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Kabuto stared at the young Uchiha and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. "You haven't convinced her yet," he stated judging by the frustrated look on Sasuke's face. He looked more tired than usual and Kabuto smiled as he thought of all the possibly reasons why.

"She's more stubborn than she used to be," Sasuke explained and turned to stare at the paintings on the wall like he'd never seen them before. Kabuto raised an eyebrow. He was hiding something and Kabuto had a good idea as to what it could be.

"I could help," Kabuto suggested, smirking when Sasuke's whole body stiffened. His glowing red eyes cut to him. They narrowed when he picked up a surgical blade from the table and examined it before looking at Sasuke over the top. "How long do you think it would take for her to cave under the blade?"

Sasuke was in front of him in a flash. He slammed his hands down on the table Kabuto was sitting at and it cracked in half, caving in on itself. Knives and medical instruments clattered to the ground, a syringe bouncing and then rolling to a stop against Sasuke's foot. "I can handle it."

"Very slowly it seems." Kabuto didn't break eye contact with Sasuke and started polishing the knife with a small cloth from his pocket. "Tick tock, Sasuke, or I'll have to take things into my own hands."

"Don't think you can threaten me," Sasuke said as he stepped back, his hand going to the katana at his hip and resting on the hilt as a subtle warning.

"You can only be in so many places at once." Kabuto smiled and then straightened. "What're you going to do with her when you get what you want? Keep her as a pet?"

Sasuke shrugged, but there was a sliver of uncertainty in his face as one corner of his lips tilted down. "I'll decide when I need to."

Kabuto opened his mouth to say something but Sasuke cut him off. "You can't have her."

Kabuto let his shoulders drop in mock disappointment, his eyes flashing. "Such a cock block."

With a growl Sasuke warned, "Don't fucking touch her." He pulled his katana inch out of its sheath to show Kabuto he was dead serious. "Or every limb that touches her I'll cut off." He turned and headed for the door with an aura of murder.

"Try not to let your emotions cloud your judgment too much," Kabuto called after him with an accomplished grin. "Who's to say she doesn't _stab_ you in the back when you're not looking?" Kabuto imbedded the knife into the chair's wooden armrest. It vibrated for a moment and then the hum quieted down, leaving only silence and Kabuto in the room after Sasuke had stormed out.

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Sakura rolled over again and then tossed the covers back, fed up with trying to fall back asleep. She reached her arms over her head and stretched, mewling at the soreness of her muscles from her training session the day before. There were a few pops as she arched her back and then she got to her feet and headed out into the main room.

She walked around the perimeter of the apartment, running her hands over the walls and across doors. When she came to one that was just a frame, she discovered that it was a kitchen. The counter was cool against her fingertips.

The front door opened in the other room and her ears perked up at the sound. She forced her heart to stay calm and turned when she felt Sasuke walk into the kitchen.

"Good morning," she said, rubbing at her left arm with her right hand to preoccupy her hands.

"Hn." He started opening shelves and setting things on the counter. "Want breakfast?"

Something clicked in her. It made her stomach flutter. The only way she could describe it was like there were dragonflies in there, taking flight every now and then when Sasuke did something that she found, oddly enough, attractive.

"I didn't know you could cook," she said, moving from foot to foot. Should she help him? She didn't want to insult his ability when he was doing something nice for a change. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I can," was all he said as he stood by the stove. "You can grab the dishes."

Sakura nodded and went in search of them. She finally found them, taking note of what was in the other cabinets for the future.

_Not that this is going to become a habit or anything_, she told herself and left the kitchen, setting the table neatly. One of the chopsticks rolled to the edge of the table and before she could grab it it fell with a soft clatter to the floor. She got down on her knees and reached under the table, searching.

There was a crash behind her and without thinking she stood up, smashing the back of her head into the underside of the table. Swearing, she got to her feet while rubbing the tender spot.

The smell of blood made her rush towards the kitchen. She failed to notice the glass littering the floor just outside the kitchen and a piece embedded itself in the arch of her foot. She yelped in pain and swore, hopping on one foot and colliding with Sasuke in the doorway.

"What happened?" they both said at the same time.

"You forgot the cups," he explained. "I accidently dropped them and cut myself trying to pick up the pieces."

"Hold your hand above your heart," she said as she hopped over to the cabinets and found a towel on the first try. She held it out to him. "How'd you drop them?"

"What does it matter," he snapped and she pressed her lips together, tempted to let him figure out how to heal the wound himself.

"Come here," she demanded, holding out her hand.

He came closer and placed his forearm in her hand without a word. She was pleased that he was listening to her without huffing like a little child and some of her anger dissipated. Even if he didn't need help, she was going to give it to him anyways. She was the expert here.

"Did you get all the glass out?" she asked.

"Aa."

She pressed the towel tightly against his palm and then started counting backwards from five minutes.

"Your turn," he said turned her slightly so he could reach around her and stir the contents on the stove.

Her nose barely touched his chest and she inhaled sharply, instantly regretting it when her lungs filled with his scent. Goosebumps erupted on her skin and she busied herself with pulling away the towel and healing the cuts.

"I accidently stepped on the glass." She threw the towel on the counter and then hopped up, pulling her foot into her lap. There was only one piece in her skin, but she still held up her foot and asked, "Do you see any other glass?"

Sasuke stepped away from the stove and grabbed her ankle in a secure grip, pulling it up higher to get a better look. It felt like little bolts of lighting were shooting through her body, starting at her ankle.

"No." His hand loosened and she pulled away, shuddering at the way his fingers slid along the back of her ankle. Once he'd stepped away, she released the breath she'd been holding and healed the cut. Grabbing the towel, she got off the counter and decided it was best if she hid in the other room so she could get her heart rate back to normal.

"I'm going to go clean the glass up," she said as she was halfway out of the kitchen. With a little jump, she avoided the glass and then settled down on her knees. As she carefully swept the glass into a pile, she swore under her breath at the swarm of dragonflies in her stomach that seemed to be permanent.

She could control her emotions, but how could she control her traitorous body?

And while she knew that people had accidents, it was hard to believe that Sasuke actually dropped the glasses and then, without thinking, picked them up and cut himself. He wasn't that clumsy or stupid.

_Maybe a good view of your ass had something to do with it_, a voice in her head said in an amused tone. Sakura rolled her eyes. At least someone was getting a kick out of this because she sure as hell wasn't.

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She finished picking up the glass, proud of herself for getting the dragonflies to go away. And then Sasuke came out with a dish in each hand, each of which smelled heavenly, and set them down. The dragonflies started up again full force.

This was definitely _not _a good sign.

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Guys, we made it to 300! I'm so grateful for the support of all my readers and you all deserve a big, fat THANK YOU. Think we can get 400? Hahaha just kidding, one step at a time, yeah?

I hope you guys liked the chapter. I had a difficult time getting all the emotions across because in a relationship like this, things can get confusing especially with such a difficult past for each and sometimes you just can't put into words what someone is feeling, so I hope I translated it well enough for everyone to understand.

Another thing is I was looking at my 100 situation pieces and there are a lot of them for Heist!fic so that may be the next story I work on, once I finish either NLW or Sangreal of course (if I ever finish them because I take so darn long!). What do you guys think of Sakura and Sasuke as thieves?

I'm home now and will be going back to college again soon so if I don't update for a while (thank you 13 credit course+EMT class load, not) then that's probably why. Of course I always show up again, so no worries!


	14. Mangekyou

I just know this chapter is going to cause an uproar. Just know that I'm the author and how I write it is my own choice so if you don't like it then please don't read it. I've planned out this story so I'm not randomly throwing things in there. Just go back and reread previous chapters if you think I am.

**No Longer Weak**

_Mangekyou_

Sakura quickly picked up on the fact that Sasuke was trying to avoid her. It wasn't all that hard. They lived in the same space so she should've seen him at least some time or another, but he always managed to slip away right before she appeared, the remnants of his chakra lingering.

She should've been glad considering her body was starting to betray rationality and hum with energy and excitement every time he was around, but she wasn't. Maybe it was boredom or loneliness. Whatever it was, he was one of her only friends here and she was definitely noticing his absence. It made her more and more antsy each day.

It was weird thinking of him as a friend. She liked to think they'd once been friends, but after he'd left she hadn't been so sure so she'd stuck to labeling him as a teammate. Just to be safe. And now, she couldn't sever the strings of hope that kept pulling her to him. It felt like a second chance and while her village had told her that if she ever got it, it was her duty to plunge a knife up through his ribs and into his heart, she couldn't remember that night where she swore she'd bring him back.

Her fingers clutched her hair like it could dispel the thoughts. Recently they'd been bouncing around in there even more and her shoulders were constantly tense.

There was a flare of chakra and then Sakura felt Sasuke coming closer to the apartment. He probably thought she was out training with Karin, but she'd made up an excuse and canceled so she could be here. With her chakra concealed, she heard the front door from her perch on her bed.

She held her breath as though he could hear her and stood, appearing behind him as he entered his room. There was no indication that he knew she was there until the door closed in her face.

"Sasuke," she called through the door and tried the knob, rolling her eyes when she found it locked. She was a ninja for fuck's sake, did he think a flimsy little lock was going to stop her? "Stop acting like a child and open the door."

There was shuffling on the other side. Although she had being underground, it definitely had its advantages. He was trapped, she thought with a devilish smile. She clenched her fist and smashed the door to bits, sending wood flying without a care as to what it hit. Hopefully a piece or two would find him.

"Sasuke," she stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, the light blocked by her frame so that her front was shrouded all in darkness with a ring of brightness at the edges.

"Go away."

She shook her head with a sad smile. "We both know it's not that easy with me."

He scoffed and muttered, "No kidding."

The bed shifted and he stood, coming closer until she could feel his warm breath on her face. "Did you ever think that maybe I just don't want to be around you?"

She refused to cave under his words like her younger self would've. A couple years ago she probably would've accepted his words, leaving with her tail between her legs and tears on her cheeks. But not anymore, so she did the opposite. She let out a little laugh of amusement at his efforts.

"If I remember correctly, you brought me here."

The silence that followed was tense. She suppressed the shiver as she became more aware of his proximity and the way his heat radiated off him.

"And once you do what I ask, you can leave." She became annoyed, not because she was planning to stick by his side, but they'd come far enough for her to consider them friends and would've thought he'd give her the choice. Maybe ask her to stay instead of deciding what was best for her. Not that he knew considering he'd brought her here.

"Oh, so you're asking now?" she snapped.

"I'm not," he replied a heartbeat later, seeming to realize his mistake. "You _will_ cave and do it sooner or later."

He was talking them in circles and she was starting to get dizzy with trying to keep up. One minute he was treating her like a friend, someone who actually had feelings. The next he was back to seeing her as his prisoner, forced to obey his every command because he was mister macho and she was, well, her. She threw her hands in the air with a tired sigh.

"Maybe if you were nicer, I'd consider it."

"Really?" He sounded surprised, but in the darkness it was hard to tell.

Her shoulders sagged and she said, "No, probably not. I just...thought we were friends now and you'd understand that asking me to that puts me in a difficult spot. I can't do that to Konoha, not after everything it did for me."

_And could've done for you, too_, she thought with a sad smile.

He swore and pulled away, slamming his fist into the wall until he was breathing heavily. Stopping, he rested his head on his forearm and asked quietly, "Why can't you just do what I say?"

"Because I've changed, Sasuke." She felt like she should get a tattoo on her forehead of those words considering how many times she'd said it since coming in contact with him again. Walking up to him, she let her hand hover over his shoulder in a moment of hesitation before putting it on his shoulder blade. "I can help you, you don't need him."

"I can't go back now, he has what I need." His body was rock hard under her fingers and she squeezed to show him he didn't always have to be strong all the time, that he could lean on others when he was tired or lost.

"Maybe you should look for answers elsewhere," she hinted and felt his muscles shift as he looked at her over his shoulder. He inhaled and held it like he was about to say something, but then it came out in a whoosh. "There's something else, isn't there?"

"No." It was sharp and quick and she immediately knew he was hiding something. He tried to pull away but she used her strength to keep him there. It turned into a wrestling match until he tore away from her and started for the door. She followed him, bristling with anger that he was shutting her out like usual. And here she thought they'd made progress.

"Just tell me," she demanded and clenched her fists. "Don't be such a coward."

He rounded on her in the hallway and she nearly smacked into his chest. Before she could stumble back, fingers circled her biceps in an iron grip and he growled in a threatening, low voice, "I am _not_ a coward."

"Then tell me what's wrong," she shot back, her voice rising with each word, and crossed her arms just to show him that she still had some control.

"If you don't do it, Kabuto will take over and do things the hard way," he said in a rush and her arms dropped in surprise.

"I think I hit my head. It sounds maybe, almost, possibly like you're worried about me," she said, holding her breath in anticipation of his next words.

"No, I'm not." He held her away from him like she was some disease, but didn't let go.

"Then why are you so stressed about it? Just let me deal with Kabuto and go on your merry way." She shrugged like it was no big deal, but her stomach was rolling with nerves, both good and bad. Kabuto was one slimy bastard and she could only sleep with one eye open for so long before he caught her off guard. On top of that, hearing Sasuke's concern for her wasn't helping either. She tried to stamp out the butterflies in her stomach.

"_No_, you will stay the fuck away from him." He shook her once like he could somehow imprint the words in her with force. She felt her teeth rattle and her hands came up to his biceps as she tried to pull away, but failed. After a moment of effort, her grip loosened and she fought the urge to run her nails along his arms.

"So you _are_ worried. There's nothing wrong with that," she reasoned with him in a soothing voice and then swallowed thickly, cheeks red as she admitted, "I'm worried about you, too."

"Fine," he spat and she felt her spine press tightly against the wall. Her body heated up and she tilted her face up to his unthinkingly. "I am worried. Happy? But we both know this is going to be a shit-show when it's time for you to leave."

"A shit-show?" She didn't understand. It would be a clean break and they'd both go their separate ways. Her heart would be tender, but she could deal with it. And him, he didn't have feelings anyways so what did he care.

As his lips pressed against hers with the softest of pressure, she realized how wrong she was.

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A couple hours later, Sakura swore her lips were still tingling but knew she was being ridiculous. Her mind was still in a haze because never in a million years did she think Sasuke would feel the same way she did. It scared her because he was right. This wasn't her place and eventually she'd have to leave. The whole thing would blow up into one big shit-show that she didn't think she'd be able to handle.

He'd seemed to understand the same thing or maybe got afraid of how his emotions were driving him because he'd disappeared right after their lips had touched. She hoped he wouldn't go back to avoiding her.

Spun up and feeling claustrophobic, she'd gone in search of Karin for a spar. But even as she jumped from branch to branch, avoiding kunai and shadow clones, she couldn't escape her thoughts.

Karin could tell and went in for the kill.

Sakura flew through the air and hit the ground, rolling feet over head until she hit a tree with a yelp. A sharp branch caught her in the back, shallowly sliding under the skin near the bottom of her shoulder blade and then out halfway to her tailbone. She rolled onto her stomach, panting with pain as Karin got closer. Once within reach, she swept her foot out and Karin hit the ground. With each trying to choke the other, Sakura forgot about everything for a moment.

They ended in a stalemate with Sakura's hands around Karin's neck, but Karin's hands around her wrists to keep her from fully cutting off her air supply. Breaking apart, Sakura rolled off Karin and plopped down with a wince, feeling her muscles start to ache with soreness and her wounds throb.

It was annoyingly hot today, even as the sky grew darker and dusk turned to dark, and so both had decided on sports bras, agreeing that if anyone gave them shit about it they'd break their noses. Then Sakura had told Karin about how she'd accidently broken Sasuke's nose and it'd taken Karin a good five minutes to stop laughing.

"Something's wrong," Karin said quietly, falling back to rest on her elbows even though Sakura knew she was anything but relaxed.

Sakura had been trying and failing to remove the branch from her shoulder. She bit her lip and kept quiet. It'd taken a lot for her and Karin to become civil towards each other and she now valued Karin's friendship. If she could help it, she wanted to avoid ruining it. Without Karin, she wasn't sure what she'd do with herself. Probably sit in her room, trapped in her head. Most likely go crazy. If word got out that Sasuke was softening, she'd be the first to throw a fit. Or possibly make a move.

And here Sakura thought she'd gotten over her jealousy.

Shaking her head, Sakura said, "Nothing's wrong. Could you get this?"

She turned her back and heard Karin shift behind her. Karin placed one hand on her shoulder to brace herself and then the other on the branch. Before she could do anything, a wave of kunai came raining down. Sakura and Karin dodged out of the way in different directions, both of their chakras flaring as they searched for the perpetrator. They rejoined again where they'd just been, snatching up the kunai from the ground as weapons.

Whoever had attacked them was masking their chakra now, but if Sakura really focused she could sense it to her left. She shifted an inch that way, silently telling Karin that that's where the person was. Karin seemed to have noticed the person's chakra too because she was already moving that way, picking up speed with each step.

Sakura hesitated because it could be a trap, but Karin was now her partner and it was her duty to have her back. Grinding her teeth together, she followed suit. They jumped into the trees and chased the moving chakra signature, parallel and consciously aware of where the other was.

"It feels like Suigetsu," Sakura yelled to Karin.

They were quickly approaching the waterfall and each stopped on a branch overlooking the water. The chakra signature had disappeared under the surface and so Sakura crouched, waiting. She tried to get the branch out again and swore as pain shot down her back when she tried to lift her arm on that side.

"Karin!" Sakura felt the chakra signature appear behind Karin and jumped from branch to branch, trying to get to her.

"You asshole!" Karin tried to move out of the way as whoever it was grabbed her. "Suigetsu!"

She screamed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her off the branch. There was a small splash and then everything was silent as Sakura waited, heart slowly calming down now that she knew there was no threat. She relaxed even more when they came to the surface, Karin sputtering and Suigetsu laughing until he was shoved under.

Karin squealed and was pulled under too. Sakura noticed they were under longer than normal and then they appeared again, they were quietly laughing and murmuring to each other.

It felt weird just leaving, but Sakura felt even more out of place staying so she headed back to the base. Now would've been the perfect time to escape, but it didn't sit well in her stomach. When she'd first come face to face with Sasuke, she'd been so angry and filled with hate, but now it felt like a lifetime ago when she'd had those feelings. It felt like a second chance and she didn't know how to react. Her brain and her heart were pulling her in different directions. This was her chance to kill him for her village. But it was also her chance to turn him back into a human being and maybe, just maybe, get him to come home.

They'd tried so hard, her and Naruto, to get him to come back and she was beginning to understand that they'd never win him back with force. What was needed was gentle coaxing and a good enough reason for him to come back. She just didn't know what that reason could be yet, but she was starting to have an idea.

She reached the apartment and tried to decide on which she needed more, food or healing. Her stomach growled and blocked out the pain and so that decision was made. There was food in the kitchen, left out for her she assumed and she shoveled it into her mouth, glad that Sasuke wasn't there to see her acting so barbaric. It seemed the longer she hung out with Naruto, the more habits she picked up from him. The notion made her shutter.

That's when she remembered the wound on her back so she headed for the bathroom, making sure to flick on the light. Her back was on fire now even though the wound wasn't that serious. It just hurt like a bitch rubbing back and forth with each movement. The damn thing was just out of reach, but she tried once more to get it.

Frustrated, she screamed '_fuck_' and leaned her good arm against the sink. Her breathing calmed the longer she stood there and she set about healing the other wounds, unsure what she was going to do about her back. She tried to chalk it up to pride, but she really knew she didn't want to ask Sasuke for help because she wasn't sure what would happen afterwards. She was afraid she'd get hopeful and then find out the kiss had been a mistake. Or that it'd happen again and she wouldn't want to stop it. And she definitely didn't want that, right?

She was tempted to break something and was lifting her hand to do just that, her victim being the mirror, when someone shifted in the doorway and she froze.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked and she let her fist fall.

She half twisted so her upper body was facing him, but immediately regretted it and sagged against the sink, fighting the spasms in her back. It was too late to try and lie, not with the wound in plain view. Giving in, she said in a quiet, meek voice, "I need help."

"I can see that," he said and she swore she heard amusement in his voice. She was about to turn around and show him just how mean she could get, but then she felt his fingers on her spine and her whole body tensed as she tried to fight shivers. He let them linger there, tracing each vertebrae downwards as he shifted closer.

She remembered too late that she was wearing a sports bra. She could feel her nipples harden and fought the embarrassment turning her face red. Without a doubt it was spreading lower, in full view since she'd been stupid enough to not wear a shirt. The second that branch was out she was running.

His fingers slid across her skin towards the wound after what felt like an eternity. One of his hands rested on the back of her neck, urging her down over the sink so he could get a better angle.

"Relax," he said, his fingers massaging the muscles in her neck until they unclenched, before moving to where her shoulder and neck met to hold her still. Carefully, he slid the wood out inch by inch. It got caught at one point and snagged on her skin, causing her to whimper. He immediately stopped.

"Don't stop," she groaned, clutching the sink's rim as he yanked as gently as he could to free the snag and continue. When it finally came out, her head fell with relief. It clanked against the faucet and she swore.

"Thank you," she said and felt him pressing a towel to her back to catch the blood. The cold porcelain dug into her hips and she remembered that she was bent over in front of Sasuke. Standing, she tried to take the towel from him but he wouldn't hand it over. His body caged hers against the sink.

"I've got it," she tried and bit the corner of her lips when he once again wouldn't give it to her. "Fine, be that way."

Now that she could move her other arm, she reached over her shoulder and quickly healed the wound. She pushed the towel away and thought he'd get the hint and stop invading her personal space, but things were never that easy with him.

He leaned closer, his heated breath running down the back of her neck. The towel dropped to the ground and he clenched the sink on either side of her hips.

It was safe to say that the kiss earlier had definitely _not_ been a mistake. Her toes curled in anticipation and she tried one last time to give them a way out. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"My whole life I've been told what I can and can't do. For once, I don't give a fuck," he said, lips moving against her skin with each word, and then dragged his teeth along her shoulder with finality.

She shuddered and something in her snapped. Later she would come to understand that it was her restraint. This time she wasn't caught off guard and reacted in turn, pressing back against him, hair spilling across his shoulder as he ran his tongue up the side of her neck. He stopped to suck behind her ear, smirking when her knees went weak and she braced herself against the sink.

Sakura felt his smirk and growled as she turned, taking control by leaning up to press her lips to his. She didn't give him any chance to regain it as she broke past his lips with her tongue and explored, her fingers buried in the hair at the base of his neck to keep him there, not that she thought he'd be running away anytime soon.

They broke away for air and she pulled at the collar of his shirt so she could nip at his collarbone. His fingers clutched her hips and he exhaled sharply when she got fed up with pulling at his shirt and slid her hands down his chest and finally under the cloth.

Her hands were cold against his abdomen and he shivered. He let her lift his shirt over his head before going back in for a bruising kiss, teeth clinking together as he retook control. He rubbed his hips against hers and lifted one of her legs to his waist. When he pressed his hips against hers again she broke away with a moan, her hands fluttering against his bare chest in search of something to hold onto as she moved against him.

Now that she'd had a taste, she couldn't get enough of him. She'd need days to explore him, mapping each inch with fingers and teeth and tongue. The thought scared her. Things were going too fast but the thought was slipping away the more he touched her.

He stopped moving, his lips pressed to her ear as the hand hooked under her knee squeezed to get her attention.

"Not in the bathroom," he said with difficulty as she bit his earlobe in anger and traced the shell with her tongue to show she was just kidding. She nodded and then went back to her ministrations on his ear.

He had no problems lifting her, but found it hard to concentrate on where he was going. She was too distracting as she pressed kisses along his jaw and sucked at his pulse. It took all of his willpower to fight the urge to press her up against the wall and forget about the bed. But he channeled patience and they eventually made it after what seemed like an eternity.

There was a squeal as she was thrown onto the bed. She rose onto her elbows and was about to say something but he cut her off with a kiss. When they pulled away, she tried again.

"I'm not going to have sex with you," she said as her head fell back against the pillow. He was making his way along her collarbone, passing over her sports bra to get to her stomach. His tongue in her bellybutton sent heat straight to the wet spot between her legs and she gasped.

At first she didn't think he'd heard her, but he hummed in acknowledgement and lifted his head so he could look up at her.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a scratchy voice.

She nodded, tilting her head back to try and distance herself from him in some way as she caught her breath. "I'm sure," she breathed.

He kissed his way up her sternum, starting at her bellybutton and scorching her through sports bra, along her throat and over her chin before reaching her lips. His tongue tasted her upper lip before he slanted his lips over hers. They stayed like that for a moment, just exploring each other mouths. When he pulled away, his teeth snagged her lower lip and he sucked on it lightly before sitting up onto his knees.

His heat was overwhelming, flaring to that of a forest fire and then calming to the warm glow of the sun coming over the horizon. As her body cooled, she thought about how she wanted to stay pressed against him forever. Forever set her stomach into knots and she pushed it away. She decided that it was best to focus on the now.

The bed shifted as he settled down next to her, silent. She'd didn't mind the silence and had come to accept it as part of who people were. Conversation didn't need to fill every gap and at times, like now, it felt nice to just be in someone else's presence with the knowledge that words weren't needed for them to be there for each other.

She reasoned that she should probably get up and shower since she had definitely sweat during training, but she really didn't want to leave the bed. Being around him was becoming more and more soothing. He smelled so good and was radiating so much warmth she could barely keep her eyes open.

She didn't bother asking if she could stay and took it as a good sign when he didn't ask her to leave. After a small stretch that was her way of preparing for sleep, she pulled the sheets up to her chin and curled against his side, smiling slightly when she felt him pull her closer.

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When morning came Sakura was surprised to find herself awake before Sasuke. She pushed herself up onto her elbow, grimacing at the way the sheets stuck to her skin from the dried sweat, and bit her lip before reaching over. It felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest as she ran her fingers along his jaw, reveling in the smoothness.

Last night had been a whirlwind. Everything had happened so fast and would've kept going if she hadn't stopped them. Every nerve in her body had screamed at her not to, but she couldn't ignore their past and how hard it had been to pick up the pieces after he'd left. She wouldn't walk right back into heartbreak by being some casual fuck.

He didn't wake as she slipped from between the sheets. His body shifted towards where she'd been like it knew something was off and was searching for her, but then he settled down again and his breathing evened.

She wanted to do something for him, but she wasn't sure what, so she decided on making breakfast. It'd been so long since she'd even attempted to make breakfast for anyone else. Usually people avoided it because they never knew what they'd find in their food. Possibly egg shells or inedible parts of vegetables that she failed to cut off completely. But Naruto had always eaten what she'd made, the little moocher that he was, until he nearly choked on the bone of a fish that she'd missed. That was the end of that.

Quickly, she went and changed into fresh clothes. As she was heading for the kitchen, there was a soft knock on the door. The chakra signature on the other side made her pause, brows furrowed in confusion and suspicion. She walked over and took a deep breath to prepare herself before opening the door.

"Ahh, I see you're awake."

Sakura crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the door frame to show that she wasn't afraid of him. Sasuke's words from the previous night came back to her. "What do you want?"

"Just some medical advice, if you don't mind?" He shifted and she stood straight to block his view of the apartment. Nosy little rat.

"Okay, what is it?" The knots in her stomach relaxed.

"I'm afraid it's not something I can ask, but something I need to show you," he said and she could tell by his voice that he was trying to suppress a triumphant grin. For what, she had no idea.

"Okay..." She closed the door softly behind her and followed him. Her shoulders were tense and she felt ready to bolt at any moment if he tried anything.

As it turned out, he really did have a medical question. He brought her into a large medical lab where bodies were lined up on tables, some she could tell were dead by the lack of chakra while others were still alive in various states.

They stopped at the first table and she immediately recognized the man. It was the one Sasuke had been torturing before she stepped in and stopped him. He was in a medically induced coma and Kabuto was studying him and trying to figure out how to heal him mentally. It was impossible to alter one's memories away unless the Sharingan was involved, but Kabuto seemed dead set on finding a loophole.

Back at Konoha she'd heard about Kabuto's fascination with torture so she was surprised by his experiments, but it still worried her. Having to alter memories was not something she wanted him to have.

"Do you have any thoughts?" he asked and she let her chakra course through the man. She had a few but she wasn't willing to tell him so she shook her head.

"I'd need more time to brainstorm," she said to buy some time.

He chuckled. "Of course, how eager of me. Is three days enough?"

Sakura wanted to tell him she'd need at least three years if anything, but stopped the snarky comment before it could come out. Truth be told, if she agreed to help him, she could keep an eye on him and hinder the experiment so that all of his results would come up negative. And the more he failed, the more he would need her, hindering any ideas he had on hurting her...unless he valued Orochimaru's life more than his experiments.

"Three should be enough," she agreed. It was a risk she'd have to take. Since they were finished, she turned to leave but was stopped with a hand on her shoulder.

She slipped from his grasp and turned, silently asking 'what' with a raise of one eyebrow.

"We could learn a lot from each other," he said and then stepped away, turning back to the unconscious man.

It was confusing to find her way back to the apartment from an unknown section of the base, but she managed and was barely through the door before Sasuke was on her.

"What were you doing with Kabuto?" he asked, trying to cage her against the door with his arms but she slid under them and headed for the kitchen. He stayed on her heels, practically breathing down her neck.

"He had a medical question," she explained even though she knew she didn't have to because it was none of his business. But there was something happening between them and growing trust was one of those things. "I figured I'd play along. You know what they say about keeping your enemies close."

"Is that what you're doing with me?" he asked.

"Of course not. Don't you trust me?" She rolled her eyes and grabbed an apple, cleaning it on her shirt before taking a bite. He stood behind her with his arms crossed, his chakra pulsing like a rapid heartbeat. He didn't respond and she knew his answer. "You don't."

"Do you?" he countered, his gaze boring into her back.

"No, but I'm starting to," she admitted. Silence followed and she knew they were at a standstill.

With one last try, he demanded, "Just stay away from him."

"And I can take care of myself," she said as she threw her hands up in the air, letting them fall and slap against her sides. She was starting to get angry with him for not having enough faith in her to handle things on her own.

"You don't know him like I do. He's too dangerous."

"Did you think things would be a cakewalk when you kidnapped me? If you haven't noticed, I'm not supposed to be here," she said as she rounded on him and didn't feel even slightly bad that it was a low blow. He took a step closer as a warning but she didn't back down.

"Then do what I ask and you can leave." His voice was rising now and his chakra flared.

"We've had this conversation how many times now? I won't do it!" She crossed her arms and didn't flinch when he came at her. He lifted his hand, but swept a stack of bowls onto the floor instead of hitting her.

Sadness settled behind her eyes, but she knew she was far from crying. They'd come so far, a feat that had taken so long, and now they were quickly backtracking to square one. Maybe the shit-show was coming early.

"You're going to _fucking _take the only thing I want from me?" Sasuke roared, towering over Sakura until their noses were almost touching. "Even after everything I did."

It felt like someone had slapped Sakura, so much so that her head turned to the side slightly. _Even after everything I did._

Even after everything I did…

Even after I showed pity for you.

Even after I put enough trust in you so we could work as a team.

Even after I helped you and you helped me.

Even after I almost fucked you.

Even after I gave you hope that this time around your heart would escape unscathed.

How stupid she'd been, she suddenly realized, to let the past repeat itself.

"Screw you Uchiha," Sakura had to clench her fists to keep from flattening his face in. She knew he wouldn't listen through the haze of his anger, she tried again to reason with him even though all she wanted to do with break his teeth. "I'm not going to bring him back, and I don't care what the hell you try to do to make me, but I won't. I refuse to endanger my village like that, not when they are the first target on his map."

Sakura turned and headed for the door with the plan of locking herself in her room so she could chastise herself again and bring the walls back up. How foolish she had been, to actually believe, to actually _hope. _And now here she was, again, telling herself 'I told you so.' At least she'd caught it in time to prevent full on heartbreak.

"Don't walk away from me." Sasuke grabbed her arm tightly, spinning her around and making her face him. She didn't lift her head, refusing to give him the time of day, but she knew his lips were pulled back into a snarl, and his eyes redder than they had ever been.

"Let go of me, you bastard," Sakura screamed. "In case you didn't hear me the fifth time, I won't help him…_ever_."

Sasuke roared in frustration. He grabbed her chin and forced her to face him, his fingers digging into her jaw hard enough to leave bruises. She'd still clung to that little bit of faith that he wouldn't resort to this, but they were beyond that line now and she smiled bitterly at how wrong she was, again. When would she start being right?

"Look at me," Sasuke growled. "Look at me and stop being the weak person you are."

Sakura tried to yank free from his grip. She knew what he wanted to do, she knew that he wanted to trap her. To torture her in her worst nightmare and prove to her how weak he really thought she was.

No, the only way she would be weak was by bringing Orochimaru back. And she wasn't weak. But his statement angered her. Even after everything she had done, he still believed her to be weak.

He still believed her to be the little girl he had left on the bench. But she wasn't, and she was going to show him just how wrong he was.

Her green eyes lifted, reflecting back the red orbs that looked as though they were bleeding just under the surface. Bleeding the blood of his victims. Or maybe it was the blood that wasn't pumping through his heart because he didn't have one, she decided.

.

.

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Sasuke stared into her eyes, his Sharingan spinning wildly. He waited for her to dissolve into his horrible world, to be tortured until she agreed to heal Orochimaru.

Nothing happened for a second, and it felt like time had slowed down. Sasuke wasn't sure what was happening—for the first time in a while— until it all dawned on him.

Sasuke let go of her as if he'd been burnt. He stared down at his hands, wondering if this was real or not for a moment. His Sharingan slowly stopped spinning until his eyes returned back to their black color, as black as his soul.

His eyes stayed trained on his hands for another moment before they flickered up to Sakura. The painful clenching in his gut became unbearable as it encased his heart.

Sakura could feel them burning through her, searching for the truth, or maybe just searching for something to grasp onto.

"You're…," he said but he couldn't get the words out. If he said them then it would make it true

"Yes, I'm—"

"…blind."

"—blind," Sakura finished, her eyes resting on the ground hazily.

Sasuke didn't move, his eyes searching Sakura's face as though this was his first time ever seeing her.

Suddenly things clicked into place. He'd known that something was off with her, but all this time he couldn't tell why, until now. It was like the last piece of the puzzle was finally in place.

Her constant habit of sending out chakra wasn't just a habit, but a way to see when she couldn't physically. It explained why she never made eye contact with any of them, but instead her eyes always rested on other parts of their faces.

Sakura wasn't prepared for when his fingers were suddenly on her face again, pulling her face upward. She knew he was searching her face, searching for a lie maybe, and her eyes.

The dullness of her green eyes appeared suddenly to Sasuke, like something in the background coming to the foreground. He had remembered the sparkle in her eyes, and now it was gone, replaced by cloudiness that only blindness could bring.

Sadness and regret radiated on her face for a moment before it disappeared. Sasuke released her face, his hands tingling as the image of her sad face burned itself into his mind. He'd never forget it, never forget the despair she felt for having such a large weakness and burden of hiding it.

Something in his chest tugged painfully. It startled him and angered him at the same time. But he couldn't call it pity, not when a small part of his brain was telling him that it was sympathy and despair. He wasn't supposed to be feeling sorry for her, pity yes, but not sympathy.

His hands were forming signs before he could think. He had to get out of there before this tug turned into a pull. And before that pull turned into a shove. And before that shove pushed him over the edge and into unknown places with emotions that he sure as hell didn't know how to handle.

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Okay, so I know Sasuke doesn't get his _Mangekyou_ until he learns the truth about Itachi, but I'm switching things around and you'll find out in the future why he has it, so be patient.

As for everything else, once again I'm the author so I'm writing this story first and foremost for myself. Don't tell me the things in it can't happen. If I truly thought what was going on was unrealistic I wouldn't be writing it. Please have a little faith in me.

Once again, too eager to post instead of waiting to proofread it. Expect a slightly more proofread version in the future, but for now expect errors.


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